Without You
by ashlynnb14
Summary: Jaden hasn't exactly had an easy life, but she's always done things her own way and looked after herself. When she meets a certain, tattooed biker one night at work, she knows she's in trouble. Is she too strong willed for a member of the Sons of Anarchy or will she be his perfect match? I own nothing you recognize & everything you don't. Read and Review Happy/OC Juice/OC Jax/Tara
1. Chapter 1

I guess you could say my story started when I was fifteen. Until then, I was just a part of my parents' messed up lives. They had moved around from one place to another, never setting down roots or giving me a place to call home. The longest we'd ever stayed in one place was the year we spent in Atlanta when I was five. The only thing I remember from our time there was walking through the underground that had been converted into shops. That was the year I learned to remember that I should never talk to strangers or go into stores alone.

Neither of my parents put much time or effort into my education. Once I learned the basics of reading and writing, everything else was considered unessential. If it didn't pertain to surviving and running, it wasn't important. Eventually, even I wasn't considered important.

"Jaden, you've got to go ahead and run on your own. Your ma and I will catch up when it's safe." That word, safe, negated any type of question or argument I could have possibly had. I was conditioned to believe that what my father instructed me, a fifteen year old girl, to do was normal. So, I took the hundred bucks he shoved in my hands, packed my duffle bag, and headed to the Greyhound Station in San Antonio.

That was the last night I ever saw my mother or father. Looking back ten years later, I should have realized what was happening. With no way to contact them and no directions as to where to run, it would be impossible to find one another again.

I spent the first three years of my life avoiding the eyes of concerned citizens or authorities. I first ran to New York City because I couldn't think of any better place to go. Eventually, autumn gave way to winter and I realized two things. First, New York got really cold and second, my parents never intended to find me.

After stealing and selling enough goods from unsuspecting tourists whit their faces too glued to cameras to notice a street kid picking pockets, I saved up enough cash to get me to Miami. I figured it would be warmer and there would be plenty of people to disappear in. It was a solid plan, but I didn't realize the level of alert the local authorities operated on due to the abundance of illegal immigrants and human trafficking.

I didn't even stay in Miami long enough to get a good tan. One run in with a older woman who asked too many questions led to a night of running from the Miami-Dade police. I didn't even get to go back and get my duffle bag. So, I started over from scratch with fifty dollars to my name. Eventually, I hitchhiked my way back out to San Antonio to see if my parents had stayed there by chance, but after wasting my time and money on dead end leads from the buggy-pushers and street kids like me, I finally gave up hope.

On that day, August 17th, 1998, I stole my first car from the parking lot of a grocery store. It was just a old Toyota Corolla with nothing special to stand out to anyone that may be looking for it, but it had a full tank of gas to get me out of Texas. I was seventeen and committing my first felony.

Two weeks and three cars later, I ended up in Oakland, California. Out of all the places I'd been in my short life, I had never been to California before. It was warm and crowded enough to disappear in without attracting too much attention. I wouldn't say I put down any roots, but California definitely had a way of working its way into my heart. I made my way up and down the West Coast stealing and selling cars to chop shops along the way over the next five years until finally landing back in Oakland.

"Jaden! Are you going to sit there and stare at that car or lift it?" I looked over at Eddie and shook my head, pointing at the blinking red light on the dashboard. He rolled his brown eyes and made his way down to the Escalade anyways. I rolled my eyes and cursed him under my breath. Eddie was just a nineteen-year-old kid who's dad talked me into taking him under my wing so he could contribute to his family's chop shop.

"Eddie! Would you stop?" I hissed, as he looked first then right before rising to his feet and pulling the slim-jim out of his pants. The reason I had never gotten caught since going out on my own was my ability to think on my feet. As soon as the alarm started blaring and the lights started flashing, I bolted. It wasn't my finest moment, but my life had always been about survival and that required me to put me first.

After Eddie got picked up for auto theft and eventually flipped on his old man for a lighter sentence, I knew I couldn't exactly stick around Oakland any longer. I was getting tired of running, to be honest. At twenty-two years old, most girls were graduating college or starting their careers; but not me. I was running again. I didn't have to worry about getting thrown in some group home any more, but prison was a much bigger possibility. So, I hung up my slim jim and wire strippers for a pair of heels and a steady check from Diamonds and Lace in Lodi.

The customers weren't as skivvy as I thought they would be when I first walked in to ask about the now hiring sign in the window. The manager, Daric, looked me up and down as I stood in front of him in my cleanest pair of blue jeans and a plaid shirt. He eventually smirked and led me back to the office.

"You aren't from around here, are you?" Daric asked with a smile and a puff on his cigarette. I shook my head but didn't elaborate any further. He nodded and picked up on the clue that I didn't want to delve into my personal life. "You do any drugs?"

"Not unless you count the occasional Tylenol and a few joints here and there." I said honestly. His brow raised with surprise but he smiled brightly.

"You got any experience?" I shook my head and started looking for the door. I was sure that if I didn't have any experience, I would be back at square one. He nodded and pulled out some papers from the top drawer of his desk.

"Here, fill these out and be here tonight at nine o'clock. We'll get you fitted and have Candy show you a few things in the practice area. Then, you can watch the show and we'll go from there." My jaw almost dropped as I took the pen and papers he offered me. Luckily, my social security card and birth certificate were things that I kept in my purse that I always carried, just in case.

I broke into a house a few blocks over to take a shower. I lucked out and the woman that lived there had a good selection of body wash and shampoo. My cinnamon brown hair welcomed the expensive cycle of rinse, lather and repeat. I was able to dry it and get out of the house before a new Land Rover pulled into the garage.

That was two years ago yesterday. I was a regular on the stage and got steady tips on top of my wages that afforded me a pre-owned BMW and an apartment on the outskirts of town. Daric prided himself for finding a diamond in the ruff and I appreciated him giving me a chance. That appreciation kept me at Diamonds and Lace instead of taking some of the offers from bigger clubs.

I yawned as I walked into the dressing room an hour earlier than normal. We had a new girl starting up on stage and Daric gave me a heads up about some of the sketchier clients holding a business meeting of sorts tonight. I hated when the Russian pricks rolled into the club. They always drank to much and got too handsy. I wished they would just stick to the Jelly Bean and their lanky, malnourished dancers.

"Jaden! Please do something with her hair!" Ruby said as I walked through the gold painted door. I held back a laugh at the sight of the new girl's frizzy hair. I tossed my purse onto my station and walked over to stand behind the frantic looking blonde. I gave her a smile and offered her a piece of gum.

"What the hell did you do? Were you going for an eighties look?" I asked with a laugh as I ran my hands through her hair, brainstorming on the best and fastest way to remedy the mess. She gnawed on the gum and shook her head, looking up into my brown eyes with her blue ones. I took a deep breath and got started on a sleek, but somewhat large, up do.

"You keep shaking like that and the customers are going to think you're nervous, doll." I spritzed a little more hairspray on her twisted up hair and gave her a reassuring smile.

"I am nervous." Her voice was barely a whisper as she bit her bottom lip. I shook my head on my way over to my own station to get ready. My hair was down my back with natural waves that I almost always rocked on stage, so I really only needed make-up and some shimmer powder.

"You're going be nervous for a while. You just can't show it past the curtains. Just don't focus on it. Your job is to work these guys up so that they go home and realize that they need to come back cause their woman can't move it like you." I said as I brushed mascara over my lashes. Daric had finally allowed me to go with a more natural look after spending a year in over exaggerated glitter and blush.

"So, what's my stage name going to be?" She asked after a few minutes of chewing on my advice. I hooked the back of my leather, studded bra top and shook the chains that hung down from the cups so they fell straight.

"I'm pretty set on calling you doll. So, my vote is for Barbie." I stepped into my leather booty shorts and hitched my shoulder as I noticed her staring at me. Ruby laughed and nodded in agreement.

"Totally a Barbie. You can't be blushing back here when you're gonna be working out there, girl." Ruby said with a laugh as she finished pinning up her bright red hair. She was doing her best to make a pin-up routine work but I still had my doubts after last weekend's less than warm reaction to it.

"Why don't you use a stage name, Jaden?" Barbie asked, hoping to change the subject away from her modesty. I zipped my boot and twisted the suede shaft around my knee to straighten it.

"It kind of fits with the club and I don't have a reason to hide who I am." I explained as the music started out in the club. Barbie went pale and started fidgeting with her sequined skirt. I shook my head and gave her a quick hug.

"You're after Delilah and before Ruby. I'll be out there so if you have to, just focus on me, doll. I'll be the one in leather and chains." I winked and adjusted my boobs so they were secure but on display at the same time. Barbie swallowed hard and nodded as Ruby rubbed her arm reassuringly. I gave them both a smile before heading out to the floor to serve drinks and welcome guests.

"Jaden! How's the new girl?" Daric asked as I started pouring drinks and loading up a tray. I shrugged and put the liquor bottle down.

"She's nervous and young. It's Tuesday though. She should be fine. When are the pigs getting here?" I asked, hoping they'd show up after my routine. Daric rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Around ten, I think. They're bringing some pretty rough guys with them. Keep an eye on the new kid, okay?" I groaned and nodded as I picked up the tray. It was never a good sign when the Russians brought people with them. They were bad enough alone.

"I've got Barbie but you should really consider getting a bouncer for the weekdays, Daric." He nodded and waved my comment off as he headed to his office. I'd been harping about security for over a year now. The night was pretty quiet with just a few regulars hanging around and checking out the new girl they'd heard about.

"How did I do?" Barbie asked as she accepted the robe from Ruby before she headed out to the stage. I smiled and gave her a hug around her shoulders. She was shaking again but I could tell it was more adrenaline than nerves.

"You did a lot better than I did on my first night, doll. I ended up spraining my wrist and breaking a heel." I said with a laugh. It was a funny story, now, but back then it was almost enough to get me back on the streets boosting cars. I glanced up at the monitors that showed the floor and felt my lip curling reflexively.

"Look, make sure to stick near Delilah unless she goes in the private room. If you get uncomfortable, just head back here. There's not much I can do once I get on the stage but try to keep your distance from that crowd." I pointed to the screen where the Russians were sitting down at their normal corner booth. Barbie nodded and looked back at me.

"I'm fucking done with this shit." Ruby said as she stormed back stage and took her victory rolls out of her hair. I smirked and gave Barbie a wink as I adjusted my bra and got ready to get on stage. She tried to hide a giggle and hurried out to the floor to help Delilah with drinks while Ruby got dressed.

The lights dimmed and the first notes of Porn Star Dancing by My Darkest Days started playing as I pushed through the heavy, black curtains. As I walked around the pole and waited for the music to pick up, I surveyed the crowd. My chest tightened a little as I noticed that the regulars had left, leaving only the Russians and a bunch of tatted guys in leather vests in the club. Barbie was sticking right by Delilah's side but she looked spooked as hell when the men would reach out to her.

The music picked up and I danced harder than I had in a while. I knew the only way I could help Barbie was to get the asshole's attention on me and off of her. My legs could barely hold my body up as I walked back and took the robe from Ruby. She had a smug look on her face and gave me a wink.

"What?" I asked as I walked back to my station to get dressed quickly. She laughed and sat on my vanity.

"You just made your car payment on a Tuesday night, that's what. I haven't seen you dance like that since you were pissed off at Palo for cheating on you." I shrugged and pulled my hair up into a high pony tail before refreshing my makeup. Barbie rushed into the dressing room, almost running right into Ruby.

"Jaden, one of those guys with an accent wants you. I told him you would be a few minutes and…" She trailed off and shook her head. I slammed my hands on the vanity and stood up quickly. She didn't have to tell me one of the assholes got rough with her. It was written all over her face.

I ignored everyone else in the room and stormed over to the man that was staring and licking his lips at me. I kicked the bottom chair rail, sending the chair twisting around. He smirked and reached out for my waist.

"I'm here. You want to try and rough handle me like you did Barbie? I don't care who you are or where your mother land is. You don't fucking touch us, asshole." I picked up the glass closest to my hand and threw the contents in the man's face. Daric rushed over and stepped between us as everyone sitting at the table looked at me in shock.

"You need to control that bitch, Daric. One infected mongrel can ruin the whole litter." The burly Russian said with a nearly incomprehensible accent. I lunged at him, but Daric pushed me back with his forearm. One of the leather clad men shook his head and stood up. He made eye contact with me and inclined his head towards the bar. I scoffed and turned on my heel, storming over to the bar ahead of the man.

"You got some kind of death wish?" The guy asked as I walked around to put the counter between us. I folded my arms across my chest and shifted my weight to one hip. His eyes were some of the darkest I had ever seen and there was no hint of amusement or smile on his chiseled face. When I turned my back and started pouring myself a Cape Cod, he appeared at my elbow with a scowl.

"You need to get back. I'm not in the damn mood." I snapped as he looked me up and down. I let my eyes trail over his tattoo covered arms and pursed my lips. He didn't budge and did a fine job of blocking the only walkway out from behind the bar.

"Those assholes don't really care for drinks being thrown in their faces." He growled as I sipped my liquor heavy drink through the straw. I was accustomed to dealing with thugs and assholes on the streets and now in the club. He was on the more intimidating end of the spectrum, but I wasn't about to let him startle me.

"I don't care for my girls getting tossed around like rag dolls. If a client wants me then they can damn well wait or get another girl. Tossing a kid around doesn't get me on their lap any sooner, if at all." I explained before pushing up on the bar and hopping across it. I caught an almost half smile cross his lips as I walked over to Delilah. She was looking at the biker as he made his way back to the tables.

"Daric is giving that prick a free lap dance from Pearl on Friday." She informed me as I looked over at our highly pissed off manager. I shook my head and curled my lip. It was just like Daric to bend over backwards for a client and let them get away with shit other clubs would ban them for. It almost made other offers I'd gotten more appealing. I sighed as Barbie walked over to the table and started giving one of the Russian shot callers a timid lap dance.

"You got a client in the VIP room, Jaden." Daric's voice had a clip to it and I knew it would be a few days before he let it go. I stopped by the dressing room to check my makeup before heading down the hall to the VIP room. I pushed my boobs up and adjusted my bra before opening the door.

"Seriously?" I asked, feeling cornered by the man standing across the room. "You just shelled out 300 bucks so I couldn't storm off for an hour?"

"Fuck no. Prez owed me. I wouldn't blow cash on this." I laughed and waited for some type of retraction of his rude statement. It didn't come. Instead, he pulled out a cylinder and unscrewed the lid. I swallowed hard, wondering what type of pill he was about to pop. The toothpick he pulled out and placed between his teeth gave me a laugh.

"So, what do you want?" I asked as he pushed the sliver of wood to the corner of his mouth with his tongue. His shoulder rose and fell as he looked me over. I twisted my mouth and ran my hand over the light dimmer before starting my playlist. He moved and sat down on the red, velvet couch.

"When do you get off?" He asked as I dipped down and put my hands on his knees, grinding my breasts against his chest. I slid my hands further up his thighs and brought my mouth mere centimeters from his ear.

"It's not gonna happen, hun. I don't take my work home with me." I purred as if my words were sweet nothings. He turned his eyes to me as I dipped back down and traced my fingers over the knife strapped to his belt.

"Not like that, girl. Just want to see you get there without an extra hole in your head." He growled as the song changed and I moved to the pole in the center of the room. I paused for a split second before recovering and grasping the cold metal in my hand. Something about the way he spoke and the way he sought to protect me threw me off.

"I can take care of myself." I said as I landed after an inverted slide. He hitched a shoulder and stood up from the couch. I walked over to him and turned my back, grinding my ass against his leg. I heard a rumble in his throat and tossed my hair to the opposite side to look up at him.

"I wasn't asking for permission." He adjusted his vest and looked me over one more time before walking out of the room. I took a deep breath and stared at the closed door. He'd left ten minutes before his time was up. That and the comment about not blowing cash on me almost had me feeling self conscious. It'd been a while since a client walked out on me.

The girls noticed I went quiet for the rest of the night. Barbie was feeling conflicted with her performance and Ruby was brainstorming ideas for a new routine. I was organizing my outfits and makeup, only answering direct questions. Delilah came back to the dressing room towards the end of the night and announced a bachelor party that was scheduled for Friday night.

"Wonderful, more grabby assholes that drink to much." I mumbled as I picked up my bag and keys. Ruby frowned and followed me out to the parking lot as per our normal routine. My eyes scanned the lot and almost immediately fell on a single Harley Davidson bike parked next to my car. The rider was leaned against the seat and I could see a trail of smoke drifting up from his cigarette. Ruby grabbed my arm and pulled me close.

"It's fine, Ruby. He's not going to do anything to me." She didn't look too confident as I gave her a smile. She looked from me to the biker a couple times before eventually giving up on me coming to my senses and following her back inside. She accepted a quick hug from me before I crossed the lot.

"You look different in clothes." The tattooed biker said as I unlocked my car. I tossed my bag into the passenger seat and spun around to look at him. He flicked his cigarette away and stood up.

"I'm not a damsel in distress, hun. You don't need to roll in and try to save the day in your leather vest." He towered over me as I stood in my flat Toms. I looked into his eyes to drive the message home.

"It's a kutte." He growled as he stepped back and grabbed his helmet. I brushed his comment off and got in my car, relieved that the confrontation was over. It wasn't until I turned on my street that I turned the radio down and heard the sound of a motorcycle behind me. I yanked the wheel to the right and stopped the car.

"Are you fucking kidding me? You've got no business following me. You aren't my man or my father so you need to back the fuck off." I snapped as I jumped out of the car. He didn't even cut the bike off as he walked over to me. He was giving me a smirk that pissed me off.

"You done yet?" He pulled me over to him and slammed his mouth onto mine. I pushed him backwards and glared at him. He scowled and put his helmet back on without another word. I was already riled up and shoved his leather covered back. He froze and I saw his fists clench, but I stood my ground.

"Don't ever do that again." He growled as he turned back to face me. I found myself lost in the intensity in his eyes. My bottom lip found its way between my teeth before slowly slipping back out to its rightful place. He didn't miss the involuntary reaction and took a step towards me. My senses were overwhelmed with the sight of his muscles under the colorful ink, the sound of his breathing, the smell of the leather and cologne, and the feeling of electricity pulsing between us.

I took a step back and kept my eyes on him for a moment before getting back in my car. He walked back to his idling motorcycle and I could see him watching me through the rear view mirror. He followed me further down the road until I turned into my driveway. He put his boots down on the pavement but made no motion to pull in or abandon his bike. I resisted the urge to turn back and look at him as I turned the key in the door. The rumbling motorcycle and its rider faded away as I leaned my back against the solid wood door. If I never saw him again, it would be too soon.


	2. Chapter 2

I was rushing between the bar and the tables after doing an extended show on stage. Delilah had called out with some stomach bug and the bachelor party ended up being larger than we had originally expected. I was slinging my hips and drinks faster than I had in a few months. My glitter had long sense faded away and my skin glistened with a thin layer of sweat as the night finally started to wind down. On the bright side, my rent was taken care of and then some.

"What can I do about this?" Barbie asked, turning her inner thigh towards me. I snarled at the reddened friction rash on her delicately white skin and shook my head.

"That's gnarly, girl. I suggest using less skin on the pole. Try using your heels more." I offered as she nodded and started lathering some ointment on her skin. Pearl stormed through the dressing room door and glared at me. We never really saw eye to eye, but we usually just avoided one another.

"Next time I have to give that vodka soaked prick a free lap dance, I'm taking the fee from your tips." She said as she walked up to me. I could smell the man's cologne on her body and almost felt bad for her. Had she not confronted me with such hostility, I may have forked over some cash to her. Instead, I just brushed by her to grab my stuff and head home.

"I'm not in the mood to deal with you." I called out to the biker from Tuesday night. He was parked next to my car and watching me as I crossed the lot. I couldn't deny the stirring I felt in my stomach at the sight of him, but I was too worn out to argue with him.

"Patrova isn't your biggest fan. Just here to see you home." He said with a shrug as he tossed his cigarette away. I twisted my mouth and shook my head as I lowered myself into the car and slammed the door. He smirked a little as he got on his bike and started it up.

True to his word, he didn't even get off the bike or make an effort to approach me when I parked my car in the driveway. He just planted his boots on the pavement and followed me with his eyes until the door was closed between us. I listened as the roar of the engine filled the air and then slowly faded away into the night.

I woke up to someone pounding on my front door. I groaned and slid out of bed with a yawn. The clock read 10:07 am, but I felt like I'd only been asleep for an hour instead of seven. I pulled on a silk robe and padded to the door slowly. The arches of my feet ached from the extended time on heels the past few days.

"Morning." I grumbled as Barbie smiled at me brightly. She was wearing a pair of orange shorts and a navy blue, lace top and flat sandals. I stepped aside to let her inside and yawned again. She laughed and sat down on my white, leather couch.

"Do you always sleep your off days away?" She asked as I walked across the room to my wardrobe. Living in a studio apartment had it's advantages, like not having to delay getting dressed to have early morning conversations with overly cheery visitors.

"It's not even noon, doll. What are you up to?" I asked, pulling a black and white printed tunic over my head. She started flipping through one of the magazines on my coffee table, obviously still too modest to deal with me getting dressed in front of her.

"I was planning on going shopping and thought you might want to come along." She said with a smile in her voice. I fastened my shorts and stepped into a pair of Sperry Top Siders before ducking in the bathroom to brush my teeth. She was still looking at the same magazine after I finished getting ready.

"Yeah, I'll tag along. Where are we going?" I asked as I offered her some of my morning smoothie. She shook her head and tossed the magazine back on the table.

"There's a new store down in Stockton. They're supposed to have really cute shoes and I need some new ones for work." She explained, standing up and heading towards the door. I nodded and grabbed my bag and keys.

"We can take my car." I suggested while locking the deadbolt. She shrugged and headed to the passenger side. I didn't have anything against her Altima but riding with other drivers made me anxious. It was a control thing. She sat quietly in the car for the first half of the drive.

"I wanted to thank you for standing up for me Tuesday." I glanced over at her, surprised that she finally broke the silence. I nodded and made a right turn per her phone's directions.

"You don't have to thank me, Meredith. I was new once too. There was a dancer, Candy, who used to look out for me. Once she hung up her heels, I kind of took on the roll of caretaker." I explained while looking around for a parking spot. She gave me a half smile and unbuckled her seatbelt.

"I actually prefer Barbie now." She said with a little laugh. I nodded with a laugh and turned the car off. Two hours and three hundred dollars later, we walked out of the store with multiple shopping bags. Barbie had found a couple pairs of stilettos, jeans and a few crop tops. I got three new pairs of sky-high boots, a lace and stud bra top and a leather jacket. We were laughing and smiling as we got back in the car.

"Son of a bitch." I grumbled as my car started making a gurgling noise just outside of town. Barbie twisted her mouth with a loss of words as I pulled the car off the road and killed the engine. I hopped out and headed to the engine bay. "Go ahead and call a wrecker, doll."

Barbie nodded and started searching for the closest wrecker company on her phone as I stared at a large hole in my radiator. I sighed and slammed the hood as she walked around to me.

"They said it'll be about fifteen minutes. What's wrong with it?" She asked quietly. I shook my head and gestured towards the hood I was leaning on.

"Radiator busted. I don't really know how but there's a hole in it." I shrugged and gave her a weak smile. We stood in silence for a few minutes before she laughed nervously and shook her head.

"I really have no idea what you're talking about but holes don't sound good. I like this car though." I rolled my eyes, amused at her lack of understanding as the wrecker pulled up. The first man out of the truck looked familiar, but I couldn't place where I'd seen him before. The second man had a nice tan, a mohawk and tribal tattoos down either side of strip of short black hair. I thought Barbie was going to fall over herself as she gave him a dorky smile.

"It's the radiator. Can we get a ride to the shop with y'all? I can get a friend to pick us up from there." I said, tossing the keys to the man with sunglasses and salt and pepper hair. When he smiled, I noticed the scars on his face that had my mind racing with places I may have seen him before.

"Aye, we can manage tha. Ya can hop in. Get outta tha sun." He gestured his thumb towards the cab of the truck as the younger man just smiled and nodded. I gave Barbie a little shove and snickered as she reluctantly looked away from the man.

"You can ogle him on the ride back. I'm hot." I teased as she followed me into the truck. I assumed they wouldn't switch who was driving, so I let Barbie sit on the passenger side where the mohawked guy would be. She blushed a little and nodded.

"He's gorgeous! Did you see his arms?" She made a purring noise and I almost lost it. Her eyes were as big as saucers and I could see the little hairs on her arms standing up straight.

"I couldn't really see past the hair and head tattoos. So, he's your type?" I glanced up in the rearview mirror to watch the men hooking my car up to the wench. Barbie turned around in her seat and nodded.

"It is now." She giggled and I felt like we'd turned a new chapter in our friendship. Ruby and Delilah were always fun to hang out with at work, but Barbie was the first girl I'd spent time with outside of the club. She had an aggressive style of friendship, but I needed that in a friend.

"Ya may want ta squeeze together, lasses." I caught a glimpse of the man's name on his shirt, Fillip, but it didn't help me place him. Barbie hopped up in my lap and smiled before kissing my forehead. I laughed and shook my head hopelessly.

"Orange or Grape?" Barbie asked as the other man got in the passenger side. I cocked an eyebrow and looked up at her. She pointed at the tan guy who was smiling and shaking his head.

"Just Juice. You two from around here?" He asked casually. I hesitated to answer, a product of my childhood as Barbie hitched a shoulder.

"Lodi. We were just in Stockton to go shopping." She piped up cheerfully. I turned my focus to the road, feeling my anxiety start kicking in as Fillip changed lanes. It was even worse since my car was trailing behind us with no one to protect it.

"Juice will lead ya to tha office." Fillip said after backing into the garage's lot. I was in the middle of nodding when my eyes fell on a large reaper symbol on the wall to my left. My eyes started studying everything quickly. The large building in front of the truck and the line of motorcycles to the right slammed all the pieces in place. I'd seen the driver at the club on Tuesday. He was with the other leather-vested men with the Russians.

"I'll get the bags out while you talk to Gemma." Juice said as he motioned towards the woman standing in front of what looked to be a small office. I groaned inwardly and nodded as Barbie and I made our way up to the woman. She gave off a don't-fuck-with-me vibe with her biker chic outfit and dark hair.

"Who owns the car?" She asked with no attempt to greet us. I inclined my head and lengthened my stride to move slightly in front of Barbie. Gemma nodded and stepped into the office. I filled out the papers quickly and got Barbie to call Ruby to come pick us up.

"Buick's done." I reflexively rolled my eyes at the raspy voice I couldn't keep from recognizing. I kept my eyes on the paper I was already done with, hoping if I didn't see him, he wouldn't see me. Unfortunately, I had shit luck.

"What are you doing here?" He growled. I gritted my teeth and stood up, placing the clipboard on the desk in front of Gemma. His arms were covered in black oil that was just about the same color as his eyes. I brought my eyes up to his face and smiled sarcastically.

"Grocery shopping, obviously." I snapped. Barbie snickered until he shot her a look. I narrowed my eyes at him and planted my hands on my hips. He pointed out towards the lot and waited for me to follow his directive. I made a point to swing my hips as I walked ahead of him.

"What's wrong with the beamer?" He asked, glancing back at my car that Juice and Fillip were pushing into an open bay. I sighed and shook my head.

"It's got a hole in the radiator. You mind looking to see what made it?" I asked, giving up on my attitude towards him. He searched my eyes with his own before nodding.

"Yeah, I will. You and the kid need a ride to Lodi?" I shook my head and gave him a thank you in the form of a small smile. He nodded and glanced at something or someone behind me. "Work tonight?"

"No, I'm off." He nodded and wiped his hands on his jeans. I felt the familiar butterflies in my stomach as I watched him stretch his neck.

"I'll be by later." I didn't get a chance to object before he turned away and headed towards my car. Barbie walked out of the office as Juice walked over with an arm full of bags. The tattooed biker watched him carry the bags over to us before glancing at me. His face didn't reveal what was going on in that mind of his before he turned away and focused on my car again.

"Isn't that the guy from the club?" Ruby asked as we got in her car. I nodded and glanced at him one more time. He was shaking his head and undoing the bolts that were holding my bumper in place. Without his vest on, the muscles in his back and arms were even easier to see.

"He's super hot in a scary kind of way. Juice is like the best of both worlds. He's a biker but super sweet at the same time." Barbie said dreamily. I laughed and turned back to look at her. She was twisting her blonde hair around her fingers and smiling goofily.

I shook my head and leaned back in the seat, ready to get back home and figure out a way to get him to leave later. Like Barbie said, he was hot as hell but I just couldn't get past the fact that he was an asshole. A hot asshole, but an asshole none the less.

 **A/N: Please read and review so I know whether or not I should continue posting chapters for this story. I have written several chapters ahead and plan to be more regular on updates on this as I finish out my other stories. A special thank you to RhondaL for encouraging me! Thank You!**


	3. Chapter 3

I found myself picking up and straightening up the apartment as the sun went down. I didn't know when or if he would actually be coming by, and the suspense was working on my nerves. I showered and dried my hair before changing into a dark pair of jeans and a sheer, black top with quarter length sleeves. I was starting to think he wasn't going to show up when three bangs rang out from the front door.

"Hey." I couldn't think of anything else to say. He nodded and stepped through the doorway, studying my small apartment as he invited himself in. I twisted my mouth and shook my head as I closed the door. I noticed him look over at my bedroom area a little longer than he had looked at the rest of the space. His leather vest, or kutte, was back in place along with a new, backwards hat.

"You just open your door for anybody?" He asked with a growl as he walked over to the couch and sat down like he belonged. I hitched my shoulder and walked over to my oversized, red chair.

"Seems that way. So what happened to my radiator?" I asked, curling my legs up beside me. He leaned forward and propped his elbows on his knees. I could tell by the way he looked at me that my suspicions were right.

"Looks like it was a knife." He said curtly. I nodded and pushed my hair out of my face. His eyes didn't leave my face as I looked up at the light fixture. "You carry?"

"Yeah, all the time. Does this mean you're going to stalk me more now?" He hitched his shoulder and stood up. I eyed him suspiciously as he walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. He returned a few moments later, two beers in hand. I laughed and took the one he held out to me.

"What's your name?" I said after about ten minutes of just drinking our beers in silence. He tipped the bottle up and finished the beer off.

"Happy." Normally, I would ask someone if they were kidding, but he didn't seem the type. I nodded and took another drink to avoid the responsibility of responding. He stared at me for a minute before getting up and crossing the rug to stand in front of me. I looked up at him through hooded eyes and my bottom lip retreated to the safety of my teeth. He took my beer and put it on the coaster sitting on the coffee table behind him.

"You got an old man?" He asked, leaning over me with his hands braced on the chair arms. I shook my head and pursed my lips, not appreciating the intrusion into my personal space. He nodded and pushed away from the chair. Without another word, he saw himself out and I heard his bike start. I narrowed my eyes and hopped out of the chair, scrambling to make it to the driveway as he let his engine warm up.

"What type of game are you playing? You have no right to come over here and," he cut me off by crossing the driveway and wrapping a hand around the back of my neck before kissing me forcefully. I stopped resisting what I knew was a strong attraction to him and let my mouth respond naturally to him. The growl of his bike almost drowned out the moan that escaped my lips as his hands moved down to my ass.

"Don't move." He rasped, breaking his hold on me to shut his bike off. I ran my fingers through my hair and watched him intently as he walked back over to me. We picked up where we left off before moving into my apartment. He closed the door with his boot and shrugged his kutte down his arms, tossing it on my chair.

"Do you have a condom?" I panted as he nipped and sucked on my neck. He nodded and ran his hands under my shirt, forcing it over my head and tossing it aside. I couldn't begin to suppress the moan that came in response to the feel of his teeth on my nipple. He pulled and sucked at it as I started working blindly at his belt and jeans.

"Damn woman." He growled as he ran his hand over my stomach. Working on a pole and being a vegetarian kept my body fat around 7%, so I usually had defined abdominal muscles. My skin tingled as his fingers ventured further down.

"Watch the ring." I panted as he pulled my jeans from my hips, not bothering with the zipper or button. He raised a brow at me before giving me a smirk. I granted him a half smile before leaning my head back and losing myself in the feel of his tongue on my body. He sucked at the ring through my clit and I gripped the sheets to keep myself grounded. I felt my nerves building up and tensing as he slid two fingers deep inside of me.

"You taste like candy." He said against my clit. The vibration of his words shoved me over the edge and I tightened around his fingers in rapid pulses. He watched me come back down from the high as he rolled a condom over his lengthy, hard cock. I bit my bottom lip as he pushed completely into me. I had to arch my back to decrease the pressure of what felt like my virginity being taken all over again.

"Oh, oh, God." I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled myself upright, sinking my nails into the back of his shoulder. He grabbed a fist full of my hair and pulled my head back to expose my neck to his teeth. Another orgasm sent my back arching backwards as he bit into my skin. I whimpered at the pressure and pleasure pulsing through my body.

"I like this." He growled, running his thumb over the ring through my clit. I felt a jolt through the still sensitive nub. A smirk spread over his lips as he made his way to the bathroom to take care of the condom and clean himself up. I took the moment of privacy to catch my breath and shake out the feelings he'd left me with.

"When's my car going to be ready?" I asked as he came out of the bathroom. I had my silk robe tied loosely around me and a freshly rolled joint between my lips. He plucked the joint from my lips and took a decent hit as he pulled on his underwear and jeans. I tried to hide the way I was drawn to his v-cuts that were on display above his low-slung jeans.

"I've got a radiator on order. Should get to the shop on Monday. Car will be ready that afternoon." He sat down on the bed and passed me the joint. I nodded as I inhaled and looked at the happy faces on his stomach. He was sexy and had a dangerous air about him. I blew the smoke up towards the ceiling and offered him another hit. He shook his head and got up to finish redressing.

"I'll see you around then." I said as he shoved his heel into his boot. Happy nodded and I watched him head to the door. He paused as he turned the knob.

"Lock the door, Jaden." He growled before heading out without another word. I knew how guys like him worked; he wasn't the type to call within three days. Hell, he didn't even have my number. I finished the joint and settled into bed to watch another episode of CSI-Los Angeles.

I woke up with soreness between my legs and a smile on my face. I didn't need him to be some gentleman who opened doors and brought me flowers. I didn't need any man at all. That's not to say that the way he fucked me was something I'd turn down again. His scent was still on my sheets as I climbed out of bed and stretched on my way to the bathroom.

My shower included more stretching and several rotations of lather, rinse, and repeat. Out of all the luxuries that having a steady job afforded me, hot showers with quality shampoo was near the top of my list, second only to my car and my bed. It was three in the afternoon by the time I was showered, dressed, and ready to walk out of the door. I left my sheets to finish in the washing machine and closed the door behind me, taking care to lock both the deadbolt and the knob lock.

"Hey pretty lady!" Barbie said cheerfully as I opened her car's passenger door. I gave her a smile and pulled my hair over my right shoulder after buckling the seat belt.

"Hey, doll. I see we're both wearing new shoes." I laughed and nodded towards her shimmering, gold stilettos. Barbie hitched her shoulder and threw the car in reverse. She drove like a sixteen year old kid who just got an unrestricted license. I gripped on to the handle above the window and kept my eyes on the road, hoping to somehow avoid death if I saw the wall she was going to crash into first.

"Oh, come on! Jaden, my driving isn't that bad." Barbie argued as I flung myself out of the car once she put it in park. I raised my brow and gave her a little laugh.

"Yeah, if you were trying to scare the shit out of me. We're gonna have to work on that along with your pole work." I straightened my leather jacket and laughed as we walked into the employee entrance with my arm around her shoulders. It was Sunday, so we all came in early to practice and hang out before one of our busiest nights of the week.

I started my yoga-like stretches as Ruby and Delilah walked inside. I gave them a nod and leaned forward, putting my head between my out stretched legs. Barbie had her heel behind her back as she bent her chest towards the ground. Ruby yawned and raised her coffee cup as a greeting.

"So, I'm thinking about doing a bad girl routine." Ruby said as she sat down on her stool and looked over at Barbie and I. Barbie came back to a standing position and looked between Ruby and I with a raised brow.

"I thought that was kind of Jaden's thing?" Ruby pursed her lips and I rolled my eyes. Barbie realized she'd touched on a sensitive subject and went back to stretching her back.

"I've never really done the whole skit, thing. I just do what comes natural and don't worry about the gimmicks. If you want to try and pull off the bad girl thing then go ahead." I shrugged and headed over to the practice pole. I went ahead and started at the top, wrapping my left leg around the cool metal and inverting myself. I traced my hand over the floor before spinning down towards the middle of the pole and arching my back, grasping the pole with my right hand above my left leg.

"Someone's flexible today." Daric said with a laugh as he walked in. I planted my boots firmly on the ground and gave him a smile. The next four hours were spent helping Barbie with technique and chatting. I started getting ready about an hour before the club opened.

"Juice invited me to a party on Friday." Barbie said quietly, looking around to make sure everyone else was too occupied in their own business to butt into ours. I gave her a smile and a little laugh. There was no doubt that she was head over stilettos for the mohawked biker.

"Are you going?" She nodded and ran the straightener over another section of her hair. I nodded and started applying my mascara.

"I know you're off Friday. Come with me!" I glanced over at her and twisted my mouth. On one hand, I loved a good party. On the other hand, I didn't want to show up to Happy's club uninvited. I shook my head and screwed the mascara lid back on.

"I'll think about it, doll. Mind giving me a ride to the garage tomorrow before work?" I asked, standing up and lacing the sides of my boy shorts. She laughed and shook her head.

"You know I don't!" She winked and adjusted her bra. She was working her younger looks to her advantage and kept her outfits in the pastel realm where mine were normally red, black, purple or dark blue. I gave her a wink as I picked up the nights schedule. Barbie was opening the night and I had the coveted eleven o'clock slot. Ruby was looking over her own copy of the schedule and pursing her lips in annoyance.

"At least we aren't back to back, girl. If you're doing a bad girl routine, we don't want to be scheduled close to one another." I offered with a sarcastic sweetness. She narrowed her eyes at me and pulled a pair of high waist shorts on before heading out to the front.

"You seem tired, doll. Why don't you just stay here?" Barbie looked over at the clock above her radio and nodded. It was after three in the morning and she had not only danced and served, she also had three private clients in the back. Her heels were discarded in the backseat and she was driving barefoot.

I made my bed with spare sheets and grabbed myself a blanket and pillow from the closet. Barbie shook her head and headed over to the couch.

"It's your bed, Jaden. I'm fine on the couch." We went back and forth about sleeping arrangements before we finally compromised and she ended up sleeping next to me. The king sized bed was plenty big for both of us and any bit of awkwardness was negated when we fell asleep almost instantly.

"You're phone's been ringing for like twenty minutes." I groaned and turned my head to see Barbie standing over me with a bowl of what smelled like oatmeal. I closed my eyes and reached blindly for my phone. It pulsed against my hand as I struggled to swipe the screen to answer it.

"Yeah?" I answered with a groggy yawn. I could hear power tools in the background and I pulled the phone away and squinted at the bright screen to see the time. It was a few minutes after three. Maybe Barbie was right, I did sleep all day.

"You're car is done." I recognized Gemma's voice and I could tell she was a little put off by my sleepy answer. Barbie raised her brow and sat down near my feet.

"Okay, I'll be there in about an hour." I mumbled, tossing my legs off the bed. She didn't respond before the line went dead. Barbie offered me the rest of her oatmeal. I scrunched my nose and shook my head.

"Please don't kill me on the way to Charming." Barbie laughed and waved my comment off as she headed off to the kitchen to wash her bowl. I took a six-minute shower without washing my hair for time's sake. It hadn't gotten sweaty last night, so I could deal with skipping a wash in order to go get my car.

"We're not going to have time to come back here before work tonight." Barbie said as she tossed my studded bra over to me. I glanced at the clock and nodded, changing from a t-shirt and jeans to the bra and matching underwear. I pulled a pair of shorts over my underwear and a sheer tank-top over my bra before rushing to tie the back of my boots as we walked out to the Altima.

Happy was sitting on the top of a picnic table as we flew into the parking lot. I hopped out of the car quickly, to the amusement of several bikers milling around what I assumed was the clubhouse. Barbie stepped out of the driver's side and Juice emerged from the garage with a big smile. I smirked and shook my head while walking to the office to get my keys and settle the bill.

"You always dress like a stripper?" Gemma asked as I signed the credit card slip. I snatched my keys from her and hitched my shoulder.

"To thy own self be true." I quipped with a wink. Her brow shot up and she didn't say anything else as I strutted back towards my car. I caught Happy making his way over to me out of the corner of my eye.

"You work tonight?" He growled, gripping my upper arm and pulling me over towards my car. I scowled and jerked my arm away.

"Your powers of observation are remarkable. Don't think you can yank me around because we fucked once." I snapped. He smirked and looked me up and down slowly.

"What time do you get off?" He completely ignored my comment about how he'd handled me and it aggravated me further. I shook my head and stepped up to him. Even in four-inch heels he had a good three inches on me.

"That's none of your concern, hun." I whispered into his ear before backing up. "Thanks for fixing the car."

"You ready, Jaden?" Barbie asked as she walked over towards her own car. Juice's arm was around her shoulders and she was smiling brightly. I eyed Happy for a split-second before nodding and pressing the unlock button on my key fob. Chibs gave us a wave as we headed off the lot.

 **Guess what?! Another update! It really helps when I've written ahead for this story (lesson learned). In case you're wondering, Troian Bellisario is who I picture as Jaden but I'm still trying to nail down someone for Barbie. Anywho, I've appreciated all the reviews and thank you for your love :)**


	4. Chapter 4

"Thank you so much for agreeing to come with me tonight!" Barbie said as she walked through my front door. The week was full of stripper drama and busier than normal nights, so I was happy to let loose at a party. I headed back to my wardrobe and pulled on a pair of shredded, black skinny jeans and started looking for a shirt to go with it.

"Which shirt do you think?" I asked Barbie, holding up a black cage top and a white cropped tank top with Jack Daniels in an arch across my chest. Barbie pointed at the cropped tank and rummaged through my shoe closet for my studded ankle boots. I nodded with approval and finished getting dressed. I let my hair fall down my back in loose waves and smiled into the mirror, satisfied with my appearance.

"You can drive so I don't have to hear you whining about my driving." Barbie conceded as we headed out. I laughed and headed to my car with a relieved smile. She had been talking about the party all week and I knew she was excited to see Juice. Ruby had overhead her gushing about him and felt inclined to give her less than welcome opinion. She and Barbie hadn't spoken a word to each other since Tuesday night.

"So, you don't have to answer, but I was wondering what's going on between you and Happy?" Barbie glanced over at me as I shifted gears and twisted my mouth. We hadn't spoken since Monday night when he followed me home and watched me walk inside before jetting down the street. I still wasn't too sure about showing up at his clubhouse without giving him a heads up.

"We hooked up the night the car broke down." She smiled and giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. I laughed and hitched my shoulder. It was pretty memorable, but I wasn't hung up on it.

"Juice said he fixed the beamer by himself." She said with a wink. I raised my brow and wondered if there was anything to that. He was a mechanic and my car was broken down. It could have just been the luck of the draw. "I love this song!"

Barbie turned up a rap song that had come on the radio just as we hit the Charming town limits. I laughed as she danced and rapped as best she could. The wind eased up as I slowed down. Having a convertible was wonderful, unless you wanted to keep your hair perfectly in place. I slowed down and pulled into the garage lot that was now full of scandalously dressed women and leather clad bikers.

"Well, well, well! You ladies come to put on a show?" A man with curly black hair and wild blue eyes asked as we walked over towards Juice. I rolled my eyes and put out my hand, palm up. He blinked a couple times before laughing and putting a beer in my hand.

"That's what I thought. No pay, no dance." I said before taking a drink of his beer and then passing it back to him. Barbie laughed, breaking her kiss with Juice. I winked and leaned against the boxing ring between the curly haired man and Juice. Barbie was leaning her back against Juice's chest with her ankles crossed in front of her.

"Happy! You up for getting in the ring later?" The dark haired man called out into the crowd. I scanned the lot and saw Happy walking over from the row of bikes. His eyes landed on me but his face didn't betray his thoughts.

"Sure you want to embarrass yourself in front of Jaden?" Happy's eyes didn't leave mine as he talked to the other man. He held up his arm and waved me over to him. I hesitated, before deciding he hadn't pissed me off recently and went to him.

"Who?" The man asked after a moment of thinking. Happy laughed and shook his head as I raised my hand like a schoolgirl. I caught Barbie whispering to Juice as she looked at Happy and I. Happy agreed to fight the man, Tig, before leading me into the clubhouse. I surveyed the large room we walked in to, noticing there were far more scandalous activities going on inside than out. It took me a minute to recognize a burly man as he pulled his face away from between a curvy woman's crotch long enough to take a breath and a drink of beer.

"This way." Happy said, leading me past the public display and down a hallway. He pulled out a key from his pocket and opened the door to what could only be described as a dorm room. It was unexpectedly tidy with everything seeming to have a place that made the most utilitarian sense. Happy closed the door and locked it behind us. "How's the car?"

"Runs like the first day I got it. What are you doing?" He didn't look back as he headed into the bathroom and turned on the shower. I stood in the bedroom and watched him strip down and step into the jet of water. "I'll just meet you back out there."

"Jaden, do not leave. Give me five minutes." He growled over the noise of the water. I rolled my eyes and sat down on the corner of the bed, checking my social media pages on my phone. Barbie had just posted a picture of her and Juice kissing. I laughed and hit the like button quickly. Two seconds later, she was texting me to come back out to the party.

"Happy, seriously I came with my girl and I just left her out there." I looked up to see him standing in front of a low dresser with a towel around his hips. He nodded as he pulled a white shirt over his head.

"She's with Juice, she's fine." He tossed the towel in a hamper and pulled on fresh boxers and a pair of jeans. I slid my phone in my back pocket as I stood up and moved towards the door. He caught my wrist and pulled me back towards him.

"I've had a shit week and sitting in a dorm room isn't exactly my way of unwinding. Either come with me or let me go." I said, grabbing his chin and pulling his mouth down to mine. He reacted like I figured he would and knocked my hand away as he put his hand on my throat, inclining my mouth further up towards him. He didn't put any pressure on my neck, but just the presence of his hand on such a vulnerable place had my body reacting to him immediately.

"Let's go. We'll finish this later." He growled, sliding his hand off of me. I grabbed his kutte from the bed and handed it over to him before he led me back out to the lot. Barbie was toe to toe with a redhead who had some problems with her shorts riding up unattractively. I quickened my pace and moved to stand next to Barbie.

"Call me a pole whore one more time and I'll break one and shove it up your ass until it's coming out that cum coated mouth of yours, bitch." Barbie's threat had my brow shooting up and Tig laughing hysterically. I turned my back on the redhead and looked Barbie over for any damage.

"What's going on?" I asked as a blonde biker walked up with a brunette woman under his arm. Barbie curled her lip at the redhead behind me and scoffed.

"She decided to tell me I needed to take my skank ass on back to where I came from. Then Mr. Hilarious said he would come with me if I was going to Diamonds and Lace. She then thought she'd be creative and call me a pole whore." Barbie was talking fast but I could tell getting it off her chest lessened her anger slightly.

"Fuck her, doll. You think she could dance like you did last night? Hell no! Just ignore the jealous bitches and party." I gave her a quick peck on the cheek, earning a smile and a nod from her. Barbie went back to Juice's arm as the blonde man sent the redhead inside.

"Jax, have you met Happy and Juice's new friends? They're strippers." Tig said with a thumbs up. I rolled my eyes and Happy shot him a hard look. I wasn't sure if he was annoyed at Tig calling me his friend or how he had to introduce us as strippers. The brunette under Jax's arm moved closer to his side and I realized there must have been some type of territory issue there.

"I'm Jaden, nice to meet you." I smiled and extended my hand to the brunette. I knew about testosterone driven clubs well enough to know I'd gone about meeting the two the wrong way, but it seemed to put her at ease. Jax, the blonde with the President patch, didn't really seem to mind.

"Tara, likewise." I nodded and looked over at Barbie. She was sucking face with Juice and I rolled my eyes as I turned back to Tara and Jax.

"That's Barbie the pole whore." I used the words to grab her attention. It worked and she shot me a glare until she realized introductions were being made.

"Bitch. Sorry, I'm Meredith but please don't call me that. I'm much more accustomed to Barbie now." She shrugged and shook Tara's hand with a smile. Jax smirked at her and I noticed the ring on his left hand as he pushed his hair back.

"Welcome, ladies. Hap we've got that thing tomorrow so try not to kick Tig's ass too bad." Jax said with a wink. I laughed and watched Tig's face fall into a pout. Happy wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me to him as he nodded in response to Jax's directives.

"You want to watch my kutte?" He growled against my neck. I chuckled and looked over at him with surprise.

"I'm guessing that's supposed to be an honor? Yeah, Happy, I'll hold your vest." He grimaced at my term for his sacred leather but shrugged it off and handed it to me all the same. Barbie laughed and followed me over to the ring side as Juice went to get some drinks.

"You two are like a match made in leather." Barbie giggled. I elbowed her and shook my head, thankful no one else had heard her. She shrugged and kept the shit eating grin on her face.

The fight between Happy and Tig seemed like it was never going to end. Every time I thought Tig was going to give up, he'd charge at Happy like a mad man. Happy had far less blood on him than Tig but that wasn't to say he didn't get hurt. I lost interest in the fight after a few minutes and talked to Juice about New York.

"What borough did you live in?" Juice asked as Tig swung at Happy. I ignored the grunting coming from the ring and tried to decide what to say.

"I moved around a lot." I didn't want to open up the can of worms that was my childhood. Barbie didn't know about how I grew up. No one did and I was fine with that. Juice seemed perplexed for a minute, but didn't push me any further. The fight ended after Jax sent someone in to break it up. I noticed the redhead going over to Happy's side of the ring.

"Uh, are you going to do something about that, Jaden?" Barbie asked as she watched the woman rub her hand over Happy's sweaty arm. I shook my head and ignored them. I wasn't going to feed into Happy's ego or fight the woman for his attention. He wasn't mine to claim and if he wanted her more than me, I wasn't going to waste my time on him.

"Thirsty, Jaden?" Happy asked, walking over towards me with the redhead clinging to his arm. I shrugged.

"I could drink a Cape Cod." I said. Happy nodded and looked down at the woman by his side. She was looking up at him, smiling brightly.

"You going to get the drinks for Jaden and me?" He asked flatly. The woman's smile melted away and her cheeks turned a deep pink. Happy shook his head as she walked away. "Not worried about me?"

"You're walking, talking and breathing. What's there to worry about?" I asked nonchalantly. He smirked and took his kutte that I was holding out to him. I could see how the women around the club treated the men; it was like they were Gods. I didn't see any reason to put Happy up on a pedestal just yet. Sure, he was a nice lay but he was still an asshole.

"Mhmm." Happy nodded and passed my Cape Cod from the redhead to me. I smiled and stirred the drink before taking a sip and looking up at him. I knew what I was doing. I saw the way he was watching me and the way the he pulled his bottom lip into his mouth and licked it quickly.

"Jaden, if I stayed here would you mind picking me up tomorrow before work?" Barbie asked, leaning over Juice's lap. I was about to answer when I rethought it quickly.

"I'll take you to work, babe. Just don't do half the things I would do." I gave her a wink that made her giggle before she and Juice headed towards the line of motorcycles. I watched as Juice fastened his helmet on her blonde head.

"He won't hurt her. He's an idiot but he's a good kid." Happy said. I turned back to see him watching Juice and Barbie as well. I nodded. His words were reassuring but I had a pretty good feeling about Juice's character from what Barbie had told me.

"That's good. She's a sweet girl." I told Happy. He nodded and took what had been Juice's seat next to me. I took another drink and smiled at my boots.

"How long are you going to act like you don't want to fuck me right here?" Happy asked openly. I almost choked on my drink.

"You seriously think that?" I asked before finishing my drink. He took the glass from me and set it back behind us before standing up and pulling me up with him. I didn't fight him as he led me back towards his dorm by my hand. He was right, after all, I just wasn't going to play into his over inflated ego.

"You dress up for me?" He asked, running his thumbs just below the wire of my bra. I laughed and shook my head.

"This isn't exactly dressing up, Happy." I said, locking the door behind us. His eyes darkened as I smiled.

"Then you won't care if I take it off." He growled, slithering a hand back to my bra's clasp and undoing it with expert skill. I was glad I'd worn a strapless bra so it fell to the floor without any further effort.

"I think I can do a better job taking care of the rest by myself." I whispered into his ear before nipping it softly. He smirked and let his hands drop from my body. I smirked and put my index finger to his chest, pushing him gently towards the bed. He let me push him down as he kept his eyes on me.

With my knees on either side of his lap, I ran my hands over his shaved head and rubbed my chest up towards his face before dipping my ass back down towards his knees. I watched the frustration building on his brow and started grinding my sex against his belt buckle. He kept his hands to himself but I could tell he was ready to grab hold of me and rip my pants off.

"Jaden," His voice had a warning tone to it and I couldn't help but grin. He was fixated on my body as I moved against him. After a minute or two more of teasing and grinding, I discarded my shirt and gave him access to my breasts as I peeled my pants off. He had his mouth on one while he palmed the other one with his hand.

"Your turn, hun." I purred as I rolled off of him covered in nothing but a black thong. He smirked and stood up, looking me up and down as he shrugged off his kutte and started stripping down to nothing. I smiled at his erection, knowing I was the one who'd given it to him.

Happy crawled over me and pinned my arms down to the mattress as he kissed me hard enough to keep my head from moving. I moaned into his mouth as he let one of my arms go to free his hand and take care of my thong. I lifted my hips to help him with the process. As soon as he had the access, he started moving his mouth down my chest and eventually onto my mound, licking at the ring he'd enjoyed so much before.

"Oh, Happy," I purred as he stroked me with his fingers and his tongue simultaneously. He sucked at the ring, sending a jolt through me. It almost hurt but only ended up getting me closer to the edge. He must have known by the change in my breathing because he pulled back with a smirk. I watched him roll a condom down his shaft as he licked his fingers clean.

"You gotta keep it down, J." He said before entering me quickly. I bit my bottom lip so hard, I was sure it would bleed. He sucked my lip out from between my teeth and slid his tongue into my mouth. I could taste myself on his lips and between that and the way he nailed my G-spot, I was hopeless. His mouth muffled my scream.

He rolled his shoulders back, signaling for me to get my nails out of his skin. I moaned and let my hands drop to his thighs as he slammed into me, holding my hips up to give himself even more access. I tightened my muscles around him and watched his eyes darken. His dick twitched within me and he stilled, letting himself come before pulling out slowly.

"Where are you going?" He asked as I pulled my thong and pants back on. I picked up my bra as I stepped into my boots.

"Home, to sleep." I said, surprised he seemed to think I would stay the night with him. He didn't ask me to stay, but I could see something other than acceptance in the way he looked at me. I pulled on my bra and shirt before heading for the door.

"Give me your phone." He said before I turned the lock. I looked back at him and decided he'd given me enough orgasms to deserve my number. I tossed the phone over to him and waited. "Here, call me if any of your Russian friends come anywhere near you."

"They're your friends, not mine." I pressed the send button and heard his phone vibrating on the bedside table. "There, call me if you want."

"Be careful and lock your door." He said, leaning his back against the wall. I felt a pull to turn back and stay with him, but I knew better. I knew things with Happy and I weren't going to be rainbows and butterflies. He had an ego the size of a house and I had issues.

 **In honor of all the reviews and PM's here is chapter 4. I wrote a chapter tonight at work so you get a chapter earlier than expected!**


	5. Chapter 5

"How was your night?" I asked Barbie as she got into my car. She waved to Juice before buckling up and turning her attention to me.

"Great, we're going out for drinks after work Monday night. Why don't you and Happy come with?" She asked, checking her appearance in my vanity mirror. I didn't explain, I just shook my head. "Come on, he asked me when you were picking me up and made sure to be back before then."

"Back from where?" I asked, curious to know where he'd been coming from. I had spoken to him briefly beside my car when I was waiting on Barbie, but it wasn't anything special.

"Juice didn't say and I wasn't about to ask him. Why didn't you stay last night? I know you two hooked up again." She poked my ribs and laughed. I swatted her hand away and took a right to hit the highway.

"I don't think either of us want that, Barbie. You start spending the night and cuddling and a casual fuck gets complicated. You saw the girls at the club. Happy doesn't seem like a one woman kind of guy and I'm not into trying to change people." I said, accelerating to twenty over the speed limit. Barbie sighed.

"Is that what happened with you and Palo?" I glanced away from the road in front of me and gave her a questioning look. She blushed a little. "The girls were talking about it one night."

"Gossiping bitches. Palo was a player. He gave me all these lines about loving me and me being the only one. Then I found him in our bed with a girl from his work. Apparently it wasn't the first time they'd fucked in our bed." I turned on my blinker and changed lanes to exit the highway. "I was an idiot and stayed with him. He talked a good line about changing and being sorry. Six months later the girl turned up three months pregnant and it was his."

"I'm sorry, Jaden. I can't believe he was such an ass!" I could tell Barbie was getting worked up, so I cut her off with a shake of my head.

"I was stupid to think I could change him, Barbie. Yeah, he was wrong and it broke my heart but I was stupid enough to let him." I explained as I parked the car. She sighed and looked down at the silver ring on her hand.

"I'm sorry I brought it up. I'm not trying to pressure you." Barbie seemed to withdraw a little, no doubt worried that I would be upset. I squeezed her knee and shook my head.

"You are, but it's okay. Look, I'll think about it." I said with a smile. Barbie nodded and opened her door. I turned the car off and followed her inside. Daric was sitting at my dressing table when I tossed my bag down.

"Your friends are here tonight. I don't think I need to remind you that I can't have another repeat of their last visit." Daric said with a smirk. I took a deep breath and slammed my hands on my hips.

"Well, are you going to get out of my chair so I can get ready?" He stood up slowly and nodded on his way out of the dressing room. I flopped down in my chair and threw my heels up on the table. Barbie sat down at her station next to me and frowned. She was watching me, no doubt wondering what my next move was.

"Do you want me to call..." I cut her off with a look. She clamped her mouth shut and started on her makeup. I shook my head and looked at myself in the mirror. I didn't need anyone coming to my rescue.

"Oh Jaden! You have a client in the purple room. I don't really know why. You were shit out on stage tonight." Ruby said with a little chuckle. Barbie looked back at me as she stood, waiting to go through the curtains. I ignored her and stood up, not bothering to right my hair before walking down the hall. Just before I opened the door, I paused to gather my thoughts.

"Well, well, I was wondering if you would show up or not." The man said, widening his legs. I didn't respond or react before turning on the music and dimming the lights a little. He motioned towards me with an intoxicated smile. I swallowed and danced my way towards him, swaying my hips in a way I knew was expected of me.

"What gets these off? Twenty dollars? Thirty?" He asked with a grin, pulling at the bottom of my boy-shorts. I frowned and pushed his hand away. He smirked and put his hand on my hip. I pushed him off again.

"No touching." I growled. His smirk got cockier and he licked his lips. The lights rose to full brightness all of a sudden. I stepped back, spinning around to see who had come in the room.

"My turn." I swallowed hard, almost wishing I had taken Barbie up on calling Happy at the beginning of the night. Patrova snapped his fingers and the man I'd been dancing for left the room without a word. I stepped back to the opposite side of the room as he took a seat on the purple couch. He crossed an ankle over his knee and waved his fingers towards me.

"What do you want?" I asked, trying to keep the hatred out of my voice. He smiled a toothy smile and stretched his arms out across the back of the couch. I gritted my teeth and dimmed the lights. I knew that if I didn't do this, Daric wouldn't hesitate to fire me. I moved to the pole, hoping I could keep away from him for the twenty minutes left in the session.

"I paid you to be here." Patrova said, pointing to his lap. I let my hand slide down the pole and sighed. There was still eighteen minutes to go. I strutted over and dipped down, throwing my head back and making eye contact with him as I raised back up slowly.

He put a hand on my hip and pulled me down onto his lap. The contact of my body on his made me feel sick to my stomach. He wrapped his other hand around my waist and rubbed his palm over my mound. The thin pleather fabric between our skin wasn't enough. A metal plate wouldn't have been enough.

"Get your fucking hand off her." Happy's rasp had never sounded better. I thought Patrova would have let me go. Instead, he tightened his hold on me. I tried to push off, but he was too strong. I watched as Happy turned the lights on and smacked at the radio controls, somehow succeeding in stopping the music. Patrova and Happy stared at one another for what seemed like forever before Patrova laughed.

"Is this stripper worth losing our partnership, Happy?" He moved his hands to my back and shoved me forward. I tried to catch my footing but it's easier said than done in five-inch heels. My head slammed into the metal pole, splitting my skin open. I groaned and covered the gash with my hand. Happy was watching Patrova storm out of the room until the door was slammed closed behind the angry Russian.

"You okay, J?" Happy kneeled down next to me and moved my hand away from my head. I groaned and nodded pathetically. Happy frowned and pulled a bandana out of his back pocket. I watched as he folded it and put it over my cut, causing me to hiss. "Come on, I'll take you to Tara and get that fixed up."

I may have objected if I hadn't passed out in his arms. The last thing I remembered was him picking me up from the floor.

 **A/N: I'm loving the feedback so I present you with::::Chapter 5 :)**


	6. Chapter 6

"Where's Happy?" I groaned as light filled the room. I blinked my eyes open to see that I was in fact in his dorm room. A rather large man with curly brown hair and kind eyes sat up straight.

"He, uh, he's in the garage. Are you okay? I'm Phil." I groaned at his volume and brought my hand up to my forehead slowly. I could feel the bandages and hoped there wasn't going to be a scar. I moved up, attempting to prop myself up a little on the flat pillows underneath me.

"I feel like my head hit a metal pole." I said. I knew Phil was being kind but the pain in my head put me in a foul mood. He nodded and flipped his phone over in his hand. "Did Tara fix me up?"

"Uh, yeah. She told me to call her when you woke up." He said, still flipping his phone over and over. I raised my brow reflexively and immediately regretted it.

"Are you going to let her know?" I asked, wondering what this guy's problem was. He blinked a couple times and nodded before stepping out of the room. I groaned and forced myself to get out of the bed. I grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of sweat pants out of Happy's drawers and headed into the bathroom.

I looked at the gash on my head and groaned. I knew I shouldn't get it wet, so washing my hair was going to be a pain in the ass. I stripped out of the t-shirt someone had put me in and stepped into the shower. The warm water seemed to help loosen my muscles and the steam opened my airways. The body wash I used was definitely Happy's and I had to settle on using it to wash my hair as well. Of course he didn't have shampoo, my right arm had more hair than he did.

Surprisingly enough, Phil wasn't in the room when I came out, dressed in Happy's clothes that were far too large on me. I had the waistband of the pants tied in a knot, but the problem was more the length than the width. I looked at my heels and decided just to go barefoot instead. I didn't really feel like breaking my ankle by tripping over his pant legs.

I made my way out of the clubhouse and almost ducked right back inside as the sunlight assaulted my eyes. I paused for a minute and let my eyes adjust to the light. The garage was alive with sounds of power tools and loud talking. I stepped out from under the covered patio and made my way towards the garage.

"What are you doing, J? Where the fuck is Phil?" Happy asked, walking out of the garage and wiping his hands off on a rag. I shrugged and stood my ground.

"I don't know where he is. I'm drying my hair since you don't have a hair dryer." I said, half joking. He narrowed his eyes and reached out, touching the tip of my hair.

"You took a shower?" He seemed to get angrier and angrier. I twisted my mouth, unsure why that would piss him off.

"Yeah, I smelled like work and I was really sore. I didn't realize your shower was off limits." I snapped, tired of his attitude and the headache I was starting to get. He shook his head and put his hand on my lower back, guiding me back towards the clubhouse.

"It's not off limits. Phil was supposed to get me when you woke up. Damn prospect. Tara said you shouldn't be moving around a lot." Happy said, sounding more calm as we entered the clubhouse. I nodded, not really sure what I was supposed to say to that. Everything he was saying seemed like logical things to be mad about.

"Mind if I go into your kitchen? I'm starving." I said, pausing at the end of the bar. He nodded and headed in the kitchen behind me. "You know I can manage making a sandwich, right?"

"Yeah, smartass." He growled, leaning against the stove and crossing his arms over his chest. I hid my smile by looking down at the bread as I spread peanut butter on one side. I liked the back and forth sometimes.

"You want something to drink?" He asked as I put the peanut butter back. I nodded and he grabbed me a bottle of water out of a refrigerator. I smiled and took it as we headed back out front.

"There you are!" Phil said, breathing hard as he rushed out into the main room. I looked over at him as Happy stood up from the chair.

"Yeah, there she is." He growled. His tone conveyed his disgust with Phil's lack of cooperation with his orders. I almost felt bad for the big guy, but he seemed like he needed a lesson.

"Sorry, Hap. I was trying to call Tara and then Miles needed help with something for Juice." Happy moved forward and Phil quit talking. I lost interest in his excuses and got back to my sandwich and water. I heard Happy growling a string of insults and reprimands and Phil kept trying to apologize.

"What are you doing out of bed? You took a shower?" Tara barged into the clubhouse just as I was finishing my meal. I looked over at her and shook my head.

"I didn't get the bandages wet and I was hungry." I didn't want to tell her or admit to Happy that I wanted to see him. Happy turned around and looked at Tara, which Phil took advantage of and disappeared quickly.

"She's fine." He growled. His protectiveness surprised me but I could tell Tara was holding back a smile as she nodded. I rolled my eyes and climbed down off the barstool.

"I'm going home. Thank you for everything, Tara. Happy, where did you put my stuff?" I asked, looking up at him. I knew exactly where everything was. It was in a neat pile on top of his dresser with my heels on the floor below. He eyed me suspiciously, but followed me back to his dorm.

"You shouldn't drive." Happy said as he closed the door behind him. I nodded and walked over to him, shoving his back against the door, turning the lock quickly. His eyes bore down into mine as I ran my hands under his kutte, moving it down his arms. He caught it before it hit the floor and hung it on the door knob. Our lips crashed towards each other and connected roughly in the middle.

Somehow, we made it over to the bed and he pinned me beneath him, leaving me nowhere to go. I knew it was part of his dominance but I didn't fight it. He moved his lips down to the curve of my neck and bit down, flicking his tongue over it as I hissed.

"I can't go to work all marked up, Happy." My protest turned into a moan as he ran his hand up underneath his shirt that I was wearing. I had decided against putting my bra on since I knew it was sweaty and covered in glitter. His cold rings sent a shiver throughout my body.

"Keep quiet, J." He whispered into my ear as he slammed into me. I bit my lip as hard as I could without making it bleed. He nibbled at my ear and I lost all control I had. I yelled his name as my orgasm took my breath away. He smirked and kissed my lips to quieten me.

"So much for safety first." I panted as he pulled out and rolled over onto his back. I knew I should have stopped him for a condom, but once I felt the difference, I didn't ever want to use one again.

"You've had your shots, right?" I glared at him until he laughed and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me against his side. "I'm kidding. You don't have to worry about it, Jaden. Long as you're on the pill."

"Something like that. Trust me, you're not making a baby momma out of me." I smirked when he raised his brow at me. "Hey! No, that's off limits."

"You're naked in my bed after wearing my clothes and using my shower. Fuck your limits." He growled, tickling my side again. I couldn't help but giggle and squirm away from him. He smiled and rolled off the bed. "You're gonna get me fired."

"Doubtful. The reaper kind of makes you un-fireable." He shrugged and headed into the bathroom, turning on a shower to take one for himself. I waited a few minutes before getting redressed and stripping the sheets off his bed.

"You don't need to do that. Not your job." Happy said, walking out with a gray towel wrapped around his waist. I shrugged and tossed them into the dirty clothes basket by the door.

"I'm actually going home this time. I just wanted to thank you first." I said, grabbing my things from the dresser. Happy nodded and took a step toward me.

"You could have just said so. Call me if anything happens." He said, dropping his towel and stepping into a pair of black boxers. I nodded and headed to the door. With a groan, I paused and turned back around.

"You should come out with me, Juice and Barbie tomorrow night. He's picking her up after work." I felt stupid even asking him about it. He smirked and I knew I'd stroked his ego. I rolled my eyes and waited for his answer.

"I'll pick you up." He said with a nod before yanking me over to him and kissing me roughly. I struggled against the urge to follow him back to the bed until I finally gathered up the strength to pull away.

"Bye, Happy." He nodded and watched me walk out of the dorm. I couldn't understand why I'd asked him to go for drinks with Barbie and Juice. I had just gotten done telling Barbie why it wasn't a good idea before work yesterday. I shook my head and pulled out my phone as I walked out to my car. I paused, wondering how both my car and Happy's bike had gotten to the clubhouse.

"Hey, Daric. I'm sorry about last night. I probably won't be able to come in tonight though. Doctor said I have a mild concussion and I feel like hell." I said, tossing my stuff into the passenger seat.

"Well, you can come in tonight or clean out your station tomorrow before the club opens. Do you have any idea what your boyfriend's stunt cost me?" I gaped at the phone, not believing he had said that to me.

"Daric, that Russian prick gave me a concussion and a split forehead. If Happy hadn't been there than I don't even know what he would have done to me." I said, feeling angry tears welling up in my eyes.

"What would have happened is you would have given Patrova whatever he wanted and gotten paid for it. Don't you remember, Jaden? That's what you work here for. A check." I felt like he had slapped me in the face. He had been so kind when I first started at the club. "Be here on time or consider yourself unemployed."

My tears only pissed me off and made my head hurt even worse on the drive home. I ignored a couple calls from Barbie and started getting ready for work. I knew it wasn't going to be a good night, there was no doubt in my mind. There wasn't really an option not to go in though, rent was due next week and my car payment was soon after that.

"Jaden? What in the hell are you doing here?" Barbie asked as I walked into the dressing room. I knew I had a lot of make-up work to do to cover the marks Happy left and the gash on my head. By avoiding her question, I was able to avoid crying again.

She sat down next to me and helped me with my concealer as I tried to look presentable. I managed a sad smile to thank her. Daric came through the room for a head count, but he didn't say a word to me. It was obvious that he didn't care about my well being. Even Ruby asked me if I needed anything and we'd been on the outs for weeks.

The lights on stage made my head sear with pain as I walked out from behind the curtains. I'd chosen a slower song than I normally used to help me keep from doing any crazy flips or inverted moves. The room was packed, which normally meant a good night for me, but I was barley drawing anyone's attention. I started feeling dizzy halfway through the song.

"Jaden, woah! Steady!" Barbie said, catching me under the arms as I stumbled into the dressing room. I shook my head and moved for the closest garbage can, wrapping my arms around it as Barbie held my hair back.

"What the fuck is this? Barbie, you're supposed to be on stage. Go!" He snapped and I could imagine him pointing his finger at the heavy curtains. She didn't move, save for rubbing her hand on my shoulder.

"I'm not going on stage when Jaden can't even walk! You shouldn't have let her come into work!" Barbie snapped, showing a stronger side of her than I'd ever seen before. I turned to look back but had to abandon it to keep from getting sick on the floor.

"This is her job! Just because she gets a bump on the head when her crazy boyfriend attacks my client, doesn't mean she gets a vacation. You girls don't make the schedule, I do!" Daric was yelling at her and it made my head feel like it was splitting open from front to back.

"Yeah? Well you can take my fucking name off it. I'm done!" Barbie snapped. Daric scoffed and I heard him storm off. Ruby handed me a washcloth on her way to the stage.

"Doll, you shouldn't have done that. Don't quit because of me." I croaked, my throat raw from getting sick. She shook her head and helped me up to my feet. I felt dizzy again and almost fell.

"I quit because he's an ass. Take your heels off before you break your head open even more. I'm taking you to the hospital." She said, holding me still as I pulled my boots off.

"I can't go to the hospital. I don't have insurance." I said, glad to finally have both feet planted on the ground, even if I was four inches shorter than a moment ago.

"Well, I'll take you home and stay with you then. It'll be like our sleep over all over again." She smiled and guided me towards the back door. I nodded and followed her to her car, not having the energy to object or offer to drive.

"Hey Jaden?" Barbie asked as she slid into the bed beside me. I made a noise to let her know I was listening. "You're not mad at me for calling Happy last night, are you?"

"No, doll. If it wasn't for you calling Happy, I don't even know what would have happened. All I know is that it would have been a lot worse than a cut and concussion." I said, turning my face out of my pillow to give her a smile. She nodded sheepishly and repositioned so she was on her side facing me.

"I was really scared." She whispered. I took her hand and nodded. She closed her eyes. A few minutes later, her breathing evened out and I kissed her forehead.

"So was I." I whispered before closing my eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

"Morning." I groaned, rolling over to see Barbie sitting up in bed reading a magazine. She smiled over at me before offering me some water and tylenol. I shimmied myself up to a sitting position before accepting both. "What time is it?"

"Just after noon. How do you feel?" She asked, closing the magazine. I groaned and rubbed my forehead.

"Like I got a concussion and then danced. Do I remember you quitting last night?" I asked, trying to remember through the haze of what I assumed was dehydration and the concussion.

"Yep. I quit because Daric doesn't give a shit about us. I'm going to give it a couple days and start looking for something else." She said with a shrug. I nodded and grabbed the water again, wondering if I even had a job to go back to and quit.

"Shit. Happy was going to pick me up after we close." I said, wishing I hadn't opened my big mouth and asked him about drinks.

"Yeah, you may want to call him. I have a feeling you shouldn't really drink anything but water right now anyways." Barbie said, offering me my phone. I took it and flopped back down on my pillow. I sighed and selected his name out of my contact list.

"Yeah?" He answered on the first ring and I almost wished it had gone to voicemail. I looked over at Barbie who was motioning for me to go on. I sighed.

"I'm not going to be at work tonight and I probably shouldn't drink right now." I said, wondering how he was going to respond. I heard some power tools stop and thanked heavens for the silence.

"Figured you shouldn't work or drink. You sound like shit." I couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, I probably look like shit to. Yep, Barbie said I do." I laughed as she nodded adamantly.

"You went in to work last night, didn't you?" I could hear the growl in his voice like he had when he was yelling at Phil. I rolled my eyes.

"Not all of us are un-fireable, Happy. Pretty sure I don't have a job to go back to now though." I let that realization sink in and started feeling sick again.

"I'll be over later." He didn't offer any explanation before ending the call. I pulled my phone away from my ear and looked at the screen, just to double check that he had in fact hung up on me.

"That went well. I don't know where he gets off being pissed that I went to work. I don't see him paying my rent or paying on my car." I snapped, angry at Happy yet again. Barbie laughed and I hit her with a glare.

"Jaden, really? He cares about you! That's not a bad thing, you know?" Barbie said with a shake of her head. I scoffed and headed for the kitchen area.

"All he cares about is pussy. That's how they all are. If it isn't pussy then it's what ever else they can get from you." I slammed the kitchen cabinet and put my palms on the edge of the counter, hanging my head and staring at the granite.

"Come on, J. Let people care about you. Even if you end up getting hurt in the end, it's better to at least try than avoid people for the rest of your life." Barbie said, reaching around me to start the coffee. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

"Blondes are supposed to be dumb, Barbie. You're not really living up to your stereotype." I peeked over at her and offered her a grin. She laughed and I watched her cheeks turn pink.

"Well, I really don't know how the hell this thing works, so there's that." We both started laughing as I showed her how to work the coffee maker.

"So, are you going to try and find another club to dance in?" I asked Barbie as she poured sugar into her mug. She stirred the coffee and twisted her lips.

"I don't know. Probably. I just don't want to work for some asshole again. I wish we could just open our own club. It could be called BJ's. You know? Like Barbie and Jaden but everyone else would think it was for blow jobs." She started giggling and I almost choked on my coffee.

"You're ridiculous. BJ's? Wow, doll. Seriously though, if we ever do it, that's the name." I laughed and the conversation morphed into silly plans about a strip club we would probably never open.

"The rooms could be themed like good and evil. Some all bright and colorful and some all leather and metal." She said, waving her arms around like the rooms were in front of us. I laughed.

"There's got to be mirrored ceilings though. I went to this club in Vegas and the ceiling was all mirrored. Can you imagine dancing there?" I asked, doing a little spin at the end of the bar. Barbie nodded.

"We should go to Vegas. Not to stay there or anything, I just want to see it." She said whimsically. I realized that even though I envied her for growing up in one place, she hadn't seen the places I had the chance to. I nodded and pushed the memories away.

"We'll go soon. Maybe you can bring Juice along." I said with a smile. She raised her brow at me. "Don't even go there."

"I didn't say anything and wasn't going anywhere. Seems like you were thinking something though." She teased, nudging me with her foot.

"I'm ignoring you, doll." I walked over to my bed and stripped the sheets. I figured if I didn't have a job anymore, I might as well clean the apartment I have limited time remaining in.

Barbie and I were watching an episode of America's Next Top Model when the sound of motorcycles drowned out Tyra's critique of the girl's photo of the week. I rolled my eyes and turned the volume up. The door was unlocked, which Happy would surely bitch about, but we were too invested in the show to be interrupted by opening the door.

"What the hell are you watching?" Juice asked as he walked into the apartment. I looked over the back of the couch to see he and Happy standing behind us, staring at the television.

"Next Top Model. Tyra's about to cut somebody." Barbie said, not looking away from the show. I smirked at Happy's annoyed look and turned back to the tv. Barbie and I both booed as our favorite contestant got the boot.

"She was too damn boney." Happy growled as I turned the tv off. He sat down in my chair, making himself at home once again. Juice just looked around awkwardly.

"You can sit down, Juice. I have beer if you want some." I moved to stand up and Happy shook his head.

"He can get it if he wants it. You moved enough last night." Happy growled. Juice looked from me to Happy before slowly sitting down next to Barbie. I shot Happy a glare.

"I'm fine. Stop trying to use my concussion as a way to control me." I snapped, already tired of his bullshit. Barbie nudged Juice and they stood up.

"We're gonna go. Call me later, Jaden." Barbie said, practically shoving Juice out of the apartment. Happy and I sat in silence for a few minutes after they left.

"I talked to your piece of shit boss." Happy said. I threw my hand up and slammed it back down on the arm of the couch.

"Are you fucking kidding me, Happy? Jesus! I've done just fucking fine by myself for years. I don't need anybody fighting my battles or trying to control me. Stop thinking that because I fuck you, I need you." I yelled, storming across the apartment. He didn't move from the chair and watched me as I paced back and forth.

"You think you're real fucking tough, don't you? You think your Russian friends haven't killed you out of the kindness of their hearts? Stop acting like a kid, Jaden. I'm not your fucking Daddy." He rasped. I scoffed and shook my head.

"No, you fucking aren't. He's been avoiding me since he and Mommy ditched me years ago. You, on the other hand, won't leave me alone!" I felt tears building up and kicked a floor pillow, aggravated that I let him upset me.

"Stop crying." He said, pulling me against his chest. I tried to fight him off, but he only held me tighter. Within moments, I was full on crying into the leather of his kutte. He didn't say anything else. He just smoothed my hair and held me close.

"You're an asshole." I sniffled after getting myself together. He nodded and put his forehead to the top of my head.

"You smell good." He said, planting a kiss in my hair. I couldn't hold back a laugh. "You done crying on me?"

"Yeah. Don't get used to it." I said, taking a step back. He nodded and shrugged his kutte off, hanging it on the coat hooks by the front door.

"Do you eat pizza?" He asked, pulling out his phone. I nodded and headed to get us a couple beers.

"Vegetable or pineapple." I said, closing the fridge with my foot. He gave me a questioning look. "Vegetarian."

"Okay." He said, putting the phone up to his ear. I handed him a beer and watched him quickly pop the cap with his ring and offer it back to me. I smiled and exchanged the beer in my hand for the beer he had already opened. I was surprised when he ordered a large vegetable pie.

"You could have eaten meat, I don't care." I said, propping my boots up on my coffee table. He shook his head and set his beer down after a couple drinks.

"It's fine, rabbit. You still pissed at me?" He asked, leaning forward. I thought about it for a minute before shaking my head no.

"So, what did Daric say when you went to the club?" I asked, curious to know how he reacted to Happy. I watched a dark grin spread over his lips as he leaned back.

"He said I'm sorry a lot. Couldn't get your job back though, sorry." He didn't seem sorry at all. I had a feeling Happy had spoken more with actions than words, but tried not to look that far into it. I still didn't know enough about him.

"Where are you from?" I asked, changing the subject. He narrowed his eyes for a minute, no doubt wondering whether or not to answer me.

"Bakersfield originally. I was up in Tacoma for ten years before I transferred here a couple years ago." He was to the point and didn't offer much explanation or detail. I nodded. "What about you?"

"I stayed in Atlanta for a year. Everywhere else was a month or six tops. I don't really have a place to say I came from." I said before taking a drink from my beer. Happy nodded.

"You've done okay." He stated. I shook my head as he nodded and moved over to the couch. He took my beer and put it on the coffee table.

"Stop arguing with me. You're not a junkie and you're not a whore. Wouldn't be here if you were." He said, looking me in the eyes. I moved to straddle him and kissed him hard. His hands gripped my hips as our tongues and mouths fought for dominance.

"Pizza!" A young man's voice called through the front door. I groaned and moved off of him, walking towards the door. He caught me by the waist and yanked me back on his way to the door. I laughed and shook my head as I headed to get more beers and a couple plates for the pizza.

"You gonna keep staring at her or give me my change?" Happy growled as I put everything on the coffee table. The young boy's cheeks went red and he practically threw the change at Happy. He slammed the door closed and had a scowl as he walked over.

"So jealous." I whispered, kissing his neck as he opened the pizza box. He turned his head and caught my lips quickly before we started eating. "Do you want to watch a movie?"

"No girl shit." He growled, passing the remote over to me. I laughed and scrolled through the channels until I found The Last House on the Left that was just starting. Happy focused on the movie as it started.

"You planning on cuddling when it gets scary?" He asked sarcastically. I beamed and patted his bald head.

"Sure, sweetie. When you get scared, I'll hold you." He flipped me his middle finger but I didn't miss the smile on his lips. I pulled my shoes off and draped my legs over his lap after we'd finished eating. He absent-mindedly traced his hand over my legs every so often throughout the movie.

"That microwave scene was fucking great." Happy said as the credits rolled. I giggled and moved my legs so he could get up.

"Why does it not surprise me that you liked that?" I asked as he headed to the bathroom. He shrugged and closed the door behind him. While he was away, I went ahead and cleaned up the empty bottles and pizza box.

"You refuse to relax, don't you?" He asked, startling me. I turned around and shrugged his comment off.

"I cleaned so I can relax. So, what now?" I asked as he leaned against the counter. He smirked.

"You could always get naked and we can go from there." He suggested without an ounce of shyness. I smacked his chest playfully and shook my head.

"All about the pussy." I teased. He shook his head and pulled me towards him.

"Not completely. It is nice though." He kissed my collar bone and stood back up with a boyish grin. I shook my head.

"I'm sure that's what you tell all the girls." I said. He shook his head and kissed my lips.

"Nah, I just tell them to come in or get out." He said. I nodded slowly and stepped away from him. "What?"

"Nothing, I just forgot what this was for a minute. I'm tired, Happy." I was kicking myself for relaxing with him and considering the night as a date. He obviously didn't want anything more than a good fuck and someone else to boss around.

"Then let's go to bed. I'm not leaving you tonight, J." He tried to turn me around by my waist but I refused. "What do you want, J?"

"I want to not be treated like a piece of ass. I'm not trying to change you but stop trying to have it both ways." I said, walking towards my bed. He followed me and invited himself into my spot.

"You think you know it all, Jaden. Why don't you relax for a damn minute and just go with it?" He growled, catching my hand and pulling me towards the bed. I sighed and stopped fighting him out of exhaustion.

"Eventually one of us is going to want more and it's going to get ugly." I said, curling my back up against his chest. I felt him shake his head as he rubbed my hip.

"If you're that good at reading the future you should try playing the lottery. I'm not going to hurt you, Jaden." He kissed my neck and squeezed me towards him.

"Well if you refuse to leave then at least get comfortable." I said, shutting down the conversation. Happy didn't seem to mind that much and stripped down to his boxers as I changed into my 49'ers jersey. He smirked as I crawled into bed after brushing my teeth.

 **A/N: The response to this story is better than I expected. I really enjoy writing a strong female character to go with Happy, so I'm glad you all seem to like J. Review please!**


	8. Chapter 8

I never thought I had trouble sleeping until I woke up in Happy's arms. Up until that point, I had thought I knew what a good night's sleep was. It made me wonder how I was going to tolerate sleeping without him. I could tell he was still asleep by the his slow, rhythmic breathing and I took advantage of his unconsciousness to study some of his tattoos.

"You're being creepy." He said a few minutes into my inspection. I blushed from having been caught and kissed his lips.

"No I wasn't. I was being nice and letting you sleep." I explained. Happy opened one eye and looked at me before closing it again.

"More like taking advantage of me. Are you hungry?" He asked, rubbing his eyes with his forearm. My stomach growled and I laughed.

"I guess so. What do you want?" I asked, swinging my legs off the bed. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me back over to him. He kissed my neck and ran his hand over the cluster of star tattoos on my hip.

"You to relax. We can go to the diner on the way to Bakersfield." He said as if it were something we'd discussed and agreed upon.

"Bakersfield?" I asked, rolling over to look at him. He nodded and didn't offer any explanation. I was coming to learn that he had a tendency not to explain his answers. "At least let me take a shower, Hap."

"I'll give you a reason to." He said, quickly pulling my underwear out of his way. I had no intention of objecting, especially when he started it out with his mouth.

"Why do you have so much shit in here?" Happy asked, stepping into the shower behind me. I explained what each bottle was for and saw his eyes starting to glaze over. I rolled my eyes and handed him cucumber body wash.

"Here, it's the most masculine thing I've got." He eyed it suspiciously before sniffing it and squeezing some into his hand. I smiled and started washing my hair, careful to avoid scratching the scab on my forehead.

"Let me call Barbie and let her know I'm going out of town so she doesn't freak out and I'll be ready." I said as Happy started towards the door. He rolled his eyes but nodded and waited for me.

"Hey, I'm going down to Bakersfield with Happy. I just didn't want you to worry." I said, conscious of the fact that he was listening.

"Aw, your first road trip together. I'll have my phone if you need me. Have fun and relax." She said in a nearly sing song voice.

"I will. Be good." I said, causing her to laugh. I ended the call and put my phone in my backpack, thankful I had a bag I could take on the bike with me. I pointed towards the door and followed Happy out.

"Here, I'm hoping it fits. Jax said it's the size Tara wears." Happy said, handing me a flat black helmet. I stared at it as if it was a rock from outer space. Happy was putting his own helmet on and I was just looking at the one in my hand. "What?"

"You got this for me?" I asked. Happy took it from me and put it on my head. It fit perfectly.

"Don't want to crack your head open again." He said, tightening the strap so the helmet was secure. I laughed half-heartedly. What I didn't tell him was that he had just given me the first gift I'd ever gotten. Even Palo, who I'd dated the longest out of all my relationships, never gave me anything besides some sex toys he wanted me to use with him. I swallowed down my emotions and climbed on behind Happy.

We chatted about Bakersfield and where all I had lived over breakfast. He still didn't order any meat and I started to wonder when he was going to relax.

"You don't want any sausage or bacon?" I asked, pointing at a plate that was going by. His upper lip snarled and he shook his head.

"I don't eat meat. Eggs sometimes but that's it." He said with a shrug. I thought my chin was going to hit the table.

"So, you're a two gun toting, leather wearing biker but you don't eat meat?" I asked. He shook his head.

"Animals are innocent. The assholes I carry guns for aren't." He summed it up elegantly before finishing off his coffee. I was impressed.

"You ready to go?" I asked after returning from the bathroom. He nodded and threw a twenty on the table before following me out. He held the door open for me and it made my cheeks blush.

"Let me know if you need to stop." Happy said as I got comfortable behind him. I nodded and wrapped my arms around him, holding on tight. I lost feeling in my ass after about two hours and I yelled at him to stop at the next fuel station.

"Sissy." He said as I stood up, massaging my butt. I shot him a glare over my shoulder as I walked inside to grab a pack of gum. He topped off the tank as I tried to decide if I wanted mint or fruit flavored gum. I saw a pack of mint toothpicks and grabbed them for him with a grin.

"Anything else? Need some condoms?" The scruffy looking man behind the counter asked. I paused and narrowed my eyes at him.

"No." I snapped, waiting for him to give me the total. He smirked and put a box of small condoms with my gum and the toothpicks. I smiled sweetly and put my finger up to ask him to hold on. I stuck my head out of the door. "Babe! Can you come in here?"

"What?" He asked, pushing his sunglasses up to the top of his head. I motioned towards the counter and the clerk.

"Well, he thought he'd be helpful and offer me some small condoms. So, either he's trying to get with me or he's, well, you know." I motioned towards Happy's belt and watched his eyes flash. I smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek. "Pay him for the gum and toothpicks when you're done."

I sat on Happy's bike and waited patiently for him to finish with the clerk. Sure, I could have turned the other cheek and left him out of it, but I didn't appreciate the clerk's sense of humor. Happy finally walked out after about fifteen minutes, wiping blood onto his bandana. I offered him the box of toothpicks before he started putting his helmet on.

"You're crazy, J." He took a toothpick and swung his leg over the bike. I fastened my helmet and scooted closer to him.

"Says the vegetarian biker that literally has blood on his hands." I whispered before he started the bike. He turned his head and looked back at me with a smile. I hitched a shoulder and crossed my arms around him, sliding my hands underneath his kutte.

We got to Bakersfield around sunset and I was surprised when Happy pulled up to an older, blue home with a wheelchair ramp. I climbed off the bike and put my helmet on the seat, curious as to why we were here. He undid his saddlebags and threw them over his shoulder before taking my hand and leading me towards the door.

"Happy!" An older woman opened the door with a walking cane in her hand. I could see some similarities between them and assumed this was his mother. She gave him a big hug and I noticed how careful he was with her. She swatted his arm as she pulled back. "You should have told me you were coming down and with a lady at that! I taught you better than that, boy."

"Ma, this is Jaden. Jaden, this is my mother Mya." Happy said, introducing us as she ushered us inside. I swallowed my nerves and gave her a little wave, unsure how to really approach her.

"Dear, don't be so nervous! Happy gets his sweetness from me!." She said, patting me on the shoulder. Happy rolled his eyes and put his saddlebags on the couch.

"Don't lie to her Ma. Have you been eating?" Happy asked, looking into the kitchen. Mya mocked him before turning to him and smiling.

"Yes, honey and I've been wiping my own ass to. Do you want to check behind my ears?" Mya asked. I bit on my lips to keep from laughing. Happy narrowed his eyes and clinched his jaw.

"Just checking, Ma." He said, refusing to argue with his mother. I couldn't hold back a laugh anymore and felt myself relaxing automatically.

"There you go, dear. Mi casa es tu casa." She said, motioning around the home. I nodded and took a seat next to her on the couch. "What do you do, Jaden?"

"I, uh, well, I was a dancer." I said, nervous to see how she would react. She nodded and winked at Happy.

"You're beautiful, Jaden. I'm sure you are a wonderful dancer." I didn't have the heart to tell her I was a stripper, although it seemed like she assumed as much. Happy bent down at the waist and kissed the top of my head before walking into the kitchen. "You seem to make him happy."

"It's still pretty new but he makes me happy, usually." I whispered back. She nodded and patted my knee.

"He can be frustrating. He cares deeply and it can make you want to smack him in the head with a frying pan, but he means well." She winked as he walked back into the room.

"Stop whispering about me, Ma. I put the medicine in your cabinet so you can reach it. I know how much is in there so I'll know if you aren't taking it." Happy said, pointing at her. She waved him off and shook her head.

"I take that medicine so I can stick around and pester you, boy. Stop fussing." She said before making her way to the kitchen. She was gone for a few moments before we heard pans banging and rustling in the cabinets.

"Ma, what are you doing? Don't cook for us. I can go get you take out." Happy called into the kitchen. Mya popped her head around the corner and shook her cane at him.

"Nonsense! I'm not feeding the first girl you've brought home since high school some stale take-out food." They started to argue in Spanish when I stood up and walked into the kitchen. They both fell silent.

"The least I can do is help." I said with a laugh. I'd watched plenty of cooking shows and practiced cooking for myself often. Happy gave in and Mya smiled.

"Do you know how to shuck corn, sweetie?" She asked, handing me several ears. I nodded and started on the corn as she chopped up some peppers. Happy was grumbling under his breath as he entered the kitchen. Mya smiled and pointed at couple chicken breasts.

"Ma, she's vegetarian." Happy said, not touching the meat. Mya scoffed and put one of the breasts away.

"You children. There is nothing wrong with a good steak or chicken." Mya scolded as Happy walked past me to go out on the porch where Mya had lit the grill. I finished shucking the corn as Happy came back inside and kissed my lips. We had dinner and chatted with his mother for a little while before deciding to get back on the road.

"Come see me again soon, Jaden. Don't let this one fuss over you too much." Mya said, kissing me on the cheek. Happy scoffed but gave her a gentle hug and a kiss. I was smiling as we walked back to the bike.

"What?" Happy asked as I put my helmet on. I motioned towards the house and he raised his brow.

"It was just a nice night. Your mother is a sweetheart." I said. He laughed and tightened his helmet strap.

"Yeah, until she catches you out after curfew or learns that you're going back to prison. She's my Ma though. Don't really know what I'm gonna do without her." He squeezed my thigh as I climbed on behind him. I held onto him and hid my face from the wind as we got back on the highway.

"What are we stopping for?" I asked Happy as he shut the bike off. He hung his helmet on the bars of his bike and waited for me to follow him. We were just on the side of the road and I didn't see any reason for us to be stopping. As soon as I had my helmet off and two feet planted on the ground, he pulled me into his arms and kissed me. It wasn't rough like it normally was. The only way I could describe it was passionate.

"I'm not letting you go, J. I want to be with you." He said, uncharacteristically. I gaped at him before shaking my head and turning away from him. I liked him. I couldn't even deny that. It didn't change the fact that I still didn't know him that well and that I didn't trust him. I didn't trust anybody not to hurt me. In that moment, with my back turned to him on the side of the highway, I remembered what Barbie said about giving it a chance.

"If you hurt me, I'll never forgive you." I said, turning back to him. He shook his head and kissed me again.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Jaden." I thought I heard honesty in his voice, but I was too nervous to trust it. I nodded and rubbed my bare arms.

"As sweet as this is, I'm freezing." I said with a shiver. He laughed and nodded, handing me a hoodie out of his saddle bag.

"Do you want to stop, J? We can get a room somewhere if you want." I nodded, unable to suppress a yawn. Happy smiled and started the bike.

It was a short ride to the hotel and I was almost falling asleep behind Happy. I leaned against the wall of the elevator as it lifted us to the fourth floor. Happy had insisted on taking my backpack along with his saddlebags, so I was just carrying our helmets.

"Go to sleep, J." Happy whispered, holding me in his arms. I smiled and scooted as close to him as possible. He kissed my shoulder and squeezed me tighter.

 **A/N: Two updates in one day? What? Seriously, I'm hooked on writing this which is great but I also can't focus on any of my other stories right now! Oh well, I'll do my best and hope you enjoy this new installment. BTW you all rock with reviews, thank you!**


	9. Chapter 9

Happy was sitting up in bed when I woke up to light coming in through the window. He was holding his phone and was obviously thinking about something. I stroked his chest with my finger tips and looked into his eyes.

"What?" I asked, propping myself up on my elbow. He paused for a minute before shaking his head and kissing my lips.

"We need to get back to Charming. Club stuff." He said vaguely. I nodded and let my hand fall to the mattress as he got out of the bed. I had a suspicion that he had skipped some club stuff the past couple of days, so I couldn't exactly be disappointed. I pulled yesterday's clothes on since we hadn't planned on being gone overnight and brushed my teeth with my finger.

"I'll check us out if you want to warm the bike up or whatever you have to do." I offered. Happy nodded and headed out of the lobby without a word. The clerk gave me a friendly smile as I put the key cards on the counter.

"I hope you enjoyed your stay, Miss. We have a complimentary breakfast if you and Mr. Lowman are interested." The girl said while she typed. I shook my head as I signed my name.

"No, thank you though." I said with a wave on the way out. Happy was on the phone when I walked up. He didn't look happy, so I just put my helmet on and tried not to listen into his conversation, he wasn't making it easy.

"I said I'll be there. Yeah, she's staying in my room. Not unless it's me or her friend." He snapped the phone shut and swung his leg over the bike, not even mentioning what was going on, even though I assumed I was the "she" he was referring to.

We didn't make any stops on the way into Charming and when we got to Teller-Morrow, I realized why. The gate was pulled closed and when it started rolling back, I could see a large gun in the man's hand when I turned back to watch him close it. Happy backed the bike in line with the others and let it idle for a minute before shutting the engine off.

"Don't leave the lot unless I'm with you. You're staying in my dorm. You need anything, you tell Gemma. Lock the door when you go to bed and don't talk to the croweaters." He said, taking his helmet off and walking towards the clubhouse. I jogged to catch up with him and grabbed his arm. He stopped and turned around to look at me, all of the gentleness from yesterday gone out of his eyes.

"First, you don't get to tell me when and where to go or who to talk to. Second, what the fuck is a croweater?" I asked, wishing I could slap him across the face. He narrowed his eyes at me and stepped towards me.

"I don't have time for this, Jaden. If you're with me then you're on lockdown with the rest of the family." He said, shaking his head. I narrowed my eyes, ready to fight back when Barbie came busting through the doors. She rushed into me and wrapped her arms around me in a hug.

"What's wrong?" I asked, pulling back slightly to see her face paled and evidence that she'd been crying. She was shaking her head as Happy walked inside without a word. Barbie bit her bottom lip took a deep breath.

"Tara was almost kidnapped! She's at the hospital now." Barbie was speaking quickly and pulling me inside behind her. I was still trying to process everything when a set of wooded doors closed, shutting out everyone that wasn't wearing a kutte with the reaper on the back.

"Is she going to be okay?" I asked, sitting down on a couch near the pool tables. Barbie cast her glance downwards and shook her head.

"I don't know. I mean, it's not life threatening but her hand is crushed." Barbie said. I felt my chest starting to tighten and knew if I didn't do something, I would have a full on anxiety attack. I started counting things I could see, then things I could hear and things I could feel. It was called grounding, according the website I'd used instead of paying to see a shrink or doctor.

"Do you know what a croweater is?" I said, changing the subject from Tara so I didn't undo all my progress in calming down. Barbie laughed and nodded, diving into the information she had about who was what when it came to the club. After she explained that croweaters where women that hung around and tried to fuck their way into a Son's heart and that old ladies were the significant others of the Sons, I'd all but forgotten about my panic.

"Happy didn't tell you about any of that?" Barbie asked as I took a drink of the beer Phil had brought me. I shook my head.

"We haven't really talked about the club much. How long is this lockdown supposed to last anyways?" I asked, wondering when the men would emerge from their "chapel". Barbie shrugged and shook her head.

"No idea but I swung by your place and grabbed you some clothes and bathroom stuff. I remember your terror over using his body wash as shampoo." Barbie's little jab made me laugh. She was right though, I'd deep conditioned my hair for over an hour after that.

The double doors opened suddenly and the members filed out, one by one. They all looked thristy for blood and I would be lying if I said it didn't scare me a little. Happy came over and finished off my beer.

"I'm not going anywhere until tomorrow. Still staying here though. I don't want to risk going to your place." Happy said. I hated being forced to stay somewhere, but at least Happy and Barbie were there with me. I looked up as Juice and Opie walked over. I'd only spoken to Opie once during the first party I'd come to with Barbie, but he seemed kind from what I could remember.

"Lyla's not answering the damn phone." His deep voice matched his impressive stature. Happy nodded and stood up straight.

"Let's go find the porn star." Juice said with a laugh. Barbie and I both raised our brows. He smiled brightly before giving Barbie a kiss and heading towards the door.

"Go, I won't leave." I said, giving Happy a nod. He gave me a quick but deep kiss, silently promising me more later. I could feel the heat in my cheeks as I looked back at Barbie.

"So what did you do in Bakersfield?" She asked, leaning forward. I smiled and told her all about the gas station and meeting Happy's mother to stopping on the side of the road.

"So you're pretty much his old lady now?" Barbie asked gleefully. I was about to answer when a bottle blonde stopped at our table.

"Who's old lady do you think you are sweetie? I hate to tell you, but that's not how it works with these men." She said, gnawing obnoxiously on her gum. I realized at that moment why Happy said not to talk to them. I also realized that he would just have to deal with me not following all of his rules.

"I hate to tell you, but no one invited you over here or asked for your two cents." I said, giving her the chance to step away. She put her hand on the table and positioned herself between Barbie and I. She was still gnawing on the gum and it was getting increasingly annoying.

"I hate to tell you but you aren't an old lady. Maybe a flavor of the week but they always come back to us." She said with an exaggerated wink. I nodded and stood up, toe to toe with her. Barbie also rose to her feet, towering above me since I'd worn flat shoes for the bike ride.

"Trust me, sweetheart. I'm all the flavor Happy needs. Now, if he happens to have a yearning for rotten fish or mildew, I'll be sure to send him your way." I mimicked her wink and waited for her to make the first move. I'd been around the strip club long enough to know that girls like her always made the first move, especially if you poked the right buttons. Sure enough, she shoved me back, sending the stool behind me crashing to the floor.

I took a few good slaps and a scratch to my face but her broken nose and busted lip were clear signs that I was walking away victorious. I didn't even break a nail in the whole altercation. Barbie sighed and walked back towards the dorms with me.

"You sure know how to leave an impression." She said, handing me my bag she'd packed up. I nodded and we headed to Happy's room.

"At least I have witnesses that she started it. Defending myself isn't a crime." I said, getting a jolt of déjà vu from some of my first days in Oakland when I'd gotten into a fight with a crew member's daughter. I shook the thought out of my mind and turned on the shower.

I was washing my hair for the second time when I heard Happy growl a short, "Out," to Barbie. Moments later, he pulled the shower curtain back and a cold draft hit my skin, giving me goose bumps.

"You're going to get the floor wet." I said, not opening my eyes to look over at him. I rinsed the shampoo out of my hair and reached for the conditioner, only to have him snatch it out of reach. I finally looked at him with narrowed eyes. "I need that."

"You also need to listen to me. I told you not to talk to them, J." He huffed and handed me the conditioner bottle. I worked it through my hair as he watched me. His eyes started to darken the longer he stared. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Happy. A little cold at the moment but she doesn't know how to make a fist." I said with a smirk that only made his eyes grow darker. He shook his head and grabbed me out of the shower, throwing me over his shoulder. I yelped, smacking his bald head. "Happy! I still have conditioner in my hair!"

"It can wait." He growled, slamming me down onto the mattress. I whimpered as he trailed bites down from my neck to my nipple. While he sucked and licked, I started undoing his belt and jeans, no longer giving my hair a second thought. His growl vibrated my skin as I stroked his member, circling my thumb over the tip.

"Hap-py, stop teasing me and fuck me." I groaned as he licked and sucked at my sex. He bit down sharply, making me yelp a little. He eased the pain by slamming into me and kissing me roughly so I could taste myself on his tongue. I moaned, almost coming undone at the seams.

"Are you going to listen, J?" Happy growled as he flipped us over so I was on top of him. He was still in control, pushing me up and down with his hand gripping my hips. I shook my head, groaning as he rubbed his thumb over the metal ring. He shook his head and sat up, wrapping his hand around the back of my neck. He bit my bottom lip and the change of position pushed me over the edge.

I tried to catch my breath as Happy slammed into me a couple more times before spilling into me. We were still kissing as he laid back down on the pillow. I smiled and pecked his lips a couple more times before peeling away from him to go clean up and wash the conditioner out of my hair.

"You don't like being controlled, do you, J?" Happy asked rubbing my bare back as I laid down next to him. I kissed his chest and shook my head.

"I don't. I guess I've got a little anarchy in me." I said with a wink and a laugh. He chuckled and shook his head. "Am I your old lady?"

"Not yet, Jaden. Don't let that shit get in your head. Old lady or not, you're mine." He growled, kissing my forehead. I couldn't decide how I felt about the possessiveness. It was nice to feel wanted but then again, I didn't like how it made me feel like an object.

"Okay." I said, tucking myself under his arm and settling in for the night. He had his arms wrapped around me and my nerves started to settle. I stopped thinking about the what if's and the technicalities of our relationship and just embraced the now.

I woke up alone in bed with a text message on my phone telling me that he'd be back later. The message also reminded me not to leave or talk to anyone out of a kutte that wasn't Barbie or Gemma. I closed the message without responding and rolled my eyes. I hadn't even seen Gemma since we'd gotten back to Charming.

"Morning!" Phil said as I walked into the kitchen. I grunted, staying true to my morning loathing personality. He chuckled and offered me a muffin. "You and Happy, huh?"

"You got something to say about it to?" I snapped, rejecting the muffin and grabbing a bottle of water instead. He frowned and shook his head. I felt a little bad for snapping at him. I had noticed the way prospects were treated and I knew I wouldn't want to go through that. "Sorry, I'm not a morning person."

"It's okay. I didn't mean anything by it though. I just think you mellow him out. It's nice." Phil said with a shrug. I laughed and nearly choked on my water.

"I'll have to let him know you said that." I gave him a wink before he could panic. "I'm just playing. So, what is there to do around here on lockdowns?"

"Well, there are pool tables and magazines and tv. I've got to figure out how to get the keys out of a customer's car. Locked them in there last night on accident." Phil twisted his mouth and shrugged his shoulders. I perked up and patted his shoulder.

"Let me show you how it's done, doll." I took a hold of his wrist and started pulling him outside. I stopped at the row of client cars and waited. "Which one?"

"I really shouldn't, Jaden. If it's damaged or anything I can get in a lot of trouble." I gave him a glare and watched his Adam's Apple bob up and back down. He groaned and pointed at a late model Mercedes close to the garage.

"Do you have a slim jim?" I asked, leading the way over to the car. He rubbed at the back of his neck and nodded.

"We do, but won't that mess the window up?" Phil asked. I rolled my eyes and walked into the garage, coming back out with a slim jim.

"Tell you what, if I damage it or take longer than fifteen seconds, I'll pay for it plus your day of wages." I said, spinning the metal bar around my hand expertly. Phil motioned for me to take a shot at the Mercedes and stepped back. "Close your eyes, doll."

Twelve seconds later, I shut the alarm off and dropped the keys into Phil's hand. He blinked a couple times before looking at me in shock. I shrugged and waved at the window.

"Not a scratch. Your lack of confidence almost hurt." I said, faking a frown. He finally picked his jaw up off the ground and shook his head.

"I thought you were a stripper?" He asked. I rolled my eyes and handed him the slim jim.

"You get that I wasn't born a stripper, right? Your welcome would have been fine." I walked past him towards Barbie who was just walking out of the clubhouse. I hated being seen as what I did instead of who I was. Barbie raised her brow at me.

"Don't ask." I grumbled, wishing we could just get in my car and leave. She nodded slowly and offered me a cigarette. I shook my head but sat down next to her on the edge of the boxing ring. I watched Phil pull the Mercedes I had unlocked into the garage and start servicing it.

"I wonder why Gemma isn't here." Barbie said, blowing a trial of smoke up above us. I shrugged and wished I had a joint. I was about to ask Barbie for a cigarette when the gate started rolling open. I knew it couldn't be the club coming back, that was something you could hear coming from almost a mile away. Instead, a sheriff's car pulled into the lot with it's blue lights on.

"Jaden Conner?" The sheriff asked, stepping out of his car and putting his hat on. I narrowed my eyes. "I need you to come with me."

"On what charges?" I asked, skeptical about the sheriff right away. He put his hands on his hips and I could tell he wasn't expecting a fight from me.

"There are reports that you were part of an organized chop shop and auto theft ring a few years ago." He said, walking closer towards Barbie and I. I shrugged and gave him a smirk.

"Unless you're charging me with something, you can't just show up and demand I come with you. I know my rights, Sheriff." I stood up to walk back inside the clubhouse and he walked right into my path. I bumped into him and he grabbed my wrist, slapping handcuffs on me quickly. "Really? There are cameras here to show that I didn't do shit to you."

"Well, that's going to take some time. For now, you're coming with me." I could have slipped the cuffs but I knew that it would only make things that much worse. Barbie already had her phone out and I gave her a nod.

 **A/N: Things are going to get bumpy but hopefully it will bring Happy and Jaden together instead of pulling them apart. We're going to learn a little more about Jaden, her parents and her time in Oakland. We're also going to see just how strong of a person she can be.**


	10. Chapter 10

"What do you want?" It wasn't my first time being arrested and I wasn't so naive as to think it would be my last. The sheriff sat down in front of me with a folder and pretended to be surprised at what he saw.

"You have an interesting background, Ms. Conner. You were pretty off the grid until you were eighteen. Most people have school records, hospital records, bank accounts, stuff like that." He said, shaking his head. I nodded slowly, not very interested yet.

"So you know I didn't grow up behind a white picket fence, so what?" I said, ready for him to get to the point. He chuckled and shook his head as wiry looking man walked in with another folder. "Is this turning into good cop, bad cop?"

"Ms. Jaden Conner, I am Lincoln Potter, Assistant U.S Attorney." He offered me his hand and I lifted both mine, showing off the still attached hand cuffs. "Really, Ely? I think we can do away with the hardware."

"Leave them on or take them off, I don't care. Someone needs to get to the point of why I'm here. I know I'm not under arrest unless you all are really dumb enough to get everything thrown out by not reading me my rights." I said, shooting holes in their bluff. I knew Barbie had called Happy so it was probably only a matter of time until a lawyer got there, I knew enough about clubs to know they sent lawyers for anyone connected with them.

"Your parents, Jacob and Stella Conner, when was the last time you saw or spoke to them?" Potter asked, ignoring my comments. I rolled my eyes and leaned back in the chair.

"When I was fifteen. What does that have to do with anything?" I asked, annoyed that they'd been brought up. I knew that's what the attorney wanted, to rile me up, and I wasn't going to let him use it to his advantage.

"That's a shame. Your father, he actually passed some five years ago in an apparent burglary gone wrong." He slid over some crime scene photos of a man that resembled my father with bullet holes in his chest. I felt a small pull at my heart but shook my head, not letting my guard down. "Your mother, now she wasn't the smarter of the two, was she? She's currently serving out the rest of a thirty-year sentence in Kansas for prostitution and distribution of narcotics."

"Wait," I acted like I was starting to care before laughing and shaking my head. "No, sorry. I thought I cared there for a minute. It was a false alarm."

"Visitation can be arranged for you to see your mother, Ms. Conner. I only ask you share what you know about your boyfriend's club." Roosevelt said, earning him a pointed look from Potter. I narrowed my eyes and leaned forward.

"I don't know shit about the club. Even if I did, I'm not a rat. I'll visit her when she's dead, less risk of my killing her then." I spat, kicking the desk between us.

"Ms. Conner, you yourself have already had some pretty heavy charges against you. Grand Theft Auto, Assault with a deadly weapon, auto theft, assault. Those charges could put you away well into your forties." Potter said, spinning his folder around for me to see a familiar list of charges. I nodded.

"They could have but I can't be tried twice for the same crime and I was never found guilty for anything but simple assault." I said with a yawn. Potter nodded and the Sheriff, Roosevelt flipped through a couple pages in his folder.

"You were associated with the Aztecs in Oakland, right? Surely you remember Alonzo, Martinez and Eddie?" I felt a lump start forming in my throat and brought my eyes up to Roosevelt's.

"I'm not under arrest. Unless you're charging me with something, right now, you need to let me go." I hissed, sick of the pointless mind games they were trying to play. Potter motioned towards door and I stood up, shoving my wrists in front of Roosevelt. "Don't want anyone to call me a thief, do we?"

I walked into the ladies room and put my back to the tiled wall, sliding down until I was seated on the floor with my head on my knees and my arms folded across my shins. Whatever they were hoping to get from me, they had leverage. If the Aztecs found out where I was, I'd be done for. If that type of information got out, I wouldn't last a day without protection.

I heard a commotion out in the station and took a deep breath in attempts to regain my composure. I looked in the mirror at my paled face and narrowed my eyes, leaning forward and pressing my hands into the counter. Eventually, I talked myself in to calming down and made my way out of the bathroom, only to find Happy toe to toe with Roosevelt.

"You don't scare me, Mr. Lowman." Roosevelt said. I couldn't help but wonder if he really believed that. He was either a bad cop or really stupid, that was the only explanation I could see for not being afraid of Happy in his position.

"Hap, let's go." I said, walking up to his elbow. He looked down and studied my face for a second before nodding in agreement. Roosevelt crossed his arms over his chest.

"I'll be in touch, Jaden." Roosevelt called after us, no doubt looking to cause a rift between us. I balled my fists and quickened my pace, ready to get out of the station before I said or did something I regretted.

"J, stop." Happy said, touching my elbow. He must have known I was pissed because normally, he would have grabbed my arm. I spun around and waved my hand angrily at the station we'd just walked out of.

"I didn't do anything! I was sitting on a fucking picnic table and Barney Fife hauls me in for some bullshit!" I was ready to march back in there and actually earn myself some charges for smacking him across the face. I scoffed and shook my head.

"Jaden, let's go. We can talk about this shit back at the clubhouse." He said, trying to pull me to him. I shoved his chest and stepped back.

"The club? That's why Rocky and Bullwinkle wanted me! They want to hang my past over my head so I rat on the club. I don't even know what the club does! Dammit, Happy! Why couldn't you have just left me alone?" I shoved him again until my fear finally caught up with me and I started having an anxiety attack. Happy looked pissed but he wrapped his arms around me all the same, refusing the let me go, even when I tried to bolt.

"J, breathe. It's gonna be okay. We'll go to your place, okay?" Happy's words were muffled since he had his lips pressed to the top of my head. I finally rested my head on his chest and nodded.

"Okay." I said, feeling drained. He nodded and took my hand, leading me towards his bike. When I climbed on the bike behind him and pressed my cheek to his back, I noticed the smell of gun powder and sweat.

"What happened today?" I asked as I unlocked my door. Happy dropped his eyes down to mine and set his jaw. He waited until we were inside with the door locked to respond.

"Jaden, if I start telling you stuff, I gotta know you aren't going anywhere. That shit that happened at the station today, it can happen again. It probably will." Happy said, making his way to my side table where I kept joints. He lit one and handed it over to me, not even taking a hit of his own first. I held the smoke in my lungs and mouth for a minute before letting it out slowly.

"I know, Happy. I'm not mad about being questioned about the club. They brought up my parents and shit in Oakland. I'm not a rat, Hap. I need to know what's going on though. I don't want to be kept in the dark." I said, slightly concerned about what I was saying.

"Shit went south with a gun deal. It was a fucking ambush. We lost Kozik and barely got out of there without more injuries. Pretty sure the assholes that ambushed us were the ones that went after Tara." Happy said before taking the joint. I immediately felt guilty for dragging him into my own shit when they'd lost a brother. Happy had told me stories about Kozik from his time in Tacoma.

"I'm sorry, Hap. We can go back to the clubhouse if you want." I said, moving towards the door. He caught my hand and shook his head.

"Don't want to be there right now, J. What happened in Oakland?" He asked, pulling me over to the couch with him. I knew it was bound to come up eventually.

"I lifted cars for a few years. Ended up working with the Aztecs from 8th Avenue. I wasn't one of them, just to be clear. I just lifted cars for them." I said, hoping he wouldn't over react.

"Why'd you quit?" He asked flatly. I twisted my mouth, ditching Eddie wasn't my finest hour and I knew it wasn't going to shine a great light on me.

"I was out with Alonzo's kid, Eddie. We were looking for a Cadillac to lift. Anyways, he didn't listen to me and set an alarm off, five damn blocks from the police station. Instead of getting picked up again, I bolted. Eddie wasn't fast enough and got caught. He ratted on his pops for a reduced sentence and I got the hell out of Dodge." I considered lying about it or trying to make excuses, but I liked Happy. I didn't want to mess up what we had.

"J, we've got ties with the Mayans. You know that?" He asked, passing the joint to me and standing up. I shook my head. "They find out you've got ties with the Aztecs and things could go south quick."

"I don't have ties with them, Happy! I've been avoiding them ever since I left Oakland." I snuffed the joint out and stood up, pacing the apartment. Happy was rubbing his brow and I heard his neck crack.

"You should have told me, Jaden." He looked pissed and it only made me angrier. "We got enough shit without a stripper pissing off the Mayans."

"Get out. Get out right fucking now!" I snapped, pointing at the door. He stood up and walked over to me, seeming even larger than normal.

"Tell me to leave again and I am." He threatened. I opened the front door and fixed him with a glare.

"Get out." I said, using my last bit of strength. He grabbed my chin, kissing me roughly before shoving me away and storming out of the door. I slammed it shut behind him before heading directly to the shower to try and wash the day away.

I let my tears mix with the water and braced myself with my forearms on the tiled wall. He hadn't come into my life that long ago, but he made a hell of an impression and got behind the walls I normally kept up to keep people out. I knew if I didn't push him away now, I'd never be able to.

"I thought I told you to get out." I said, not completely surprised to find him sitting on my bed. He nodded and stood up. He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me softly. I resisted for a moment before my walls crumbled. I let go of my towel and wrapped my arms around the back of his neck.

"I told you, J. I'm not going to hurt you." He said, smoothing my hair as we lay in bed together after make-up sex. I nodded and kissed his chest. "Their for kills for the club."

"Oh." I said, stopping my fingers from tracing his happy face tattoos. I looked up at him and nodded. "I'm not going to push you away anymore, Happy. I can't."

"I know, J. You're alright." He gave me a wink and I playfully punched his side. He laughed and tickled me, earning himself a dark glare.


	11. Chapter 11

"No." Happy said, sliding out from under a pick-up truck. I rolled my eyes and threw my hands up. It had been three weeks since I'd gotten dragged into the police station and tried to kick Happy out of my life. As thankful as I was that he hadn't listened, I was also tired of fighting with him about work.

"I'm not letting you pay my rent again, Happy. I need to work and my resume isn't exactly perfect. It's a good bar." I said, shifting my weight to one hip and crossing my arms. Happy growled and shook his head.

"I don't care if it's a great bar, J. You're not stripping anymore. I'm not going back to prison for killing some fucker that pays you for a lap-dance." He said, grabbing me by the waist and pulling me over to him. I dodged his kiss and caught his chin.

"You're not paying my bills." I said before giving him the kiss he had wanted. He bit my lip as he pulled back.

"Find a job where you keep your clothes on. All of them. Like a fucking sweatshirt and baggy ass jeans. You could wear one of those animal costumes or some shit." He was getting playful and I couldn't fight my smile. I loved when he joked around, even if we were in the middle of a fight.

"I'd pay for that shit. What if she stripped out of the costume? Like a cute little mouse and then she starts dancing and…" Tig was cut off by Happy throwing a wrench at him.

"Finish that sentence and that wrench is going down your throat." He threatened. Tig shot him a bird before picking the wrench up and setting it on the opposite side of him, out of Happy's reach.

"Babe, really though. I have to find something this week." I said as he turned back to face me. He nodded and kissed my forehead.

"Then go find something else. I'll be late tonight." He said, still holding my hips. I nodded and kissed his lips quickly. I still felt a rush of energy when we'd kiss or he'd hold me.

"Fine. Be careful." I looked around him towards the back of the garage. "Barbie, let's go chica. You can suck face later, we need jobs."

Barbie's cheeks were pink and I could tell she would rather stay with Juice than job hunt, but we'd made a pact. She buckled her seat belt as I dropped the convertible top. She waved at Juice who had walked out of the garge to have a smoke with Happy.

So, where to now?" She asked as I pulled out of the lot. I rattled off a list of bars and restaurants in the area that we'd already applied at. "So, that leaves us with?"

"I have no fucking idea. Happy has a problem with every place I get a call back from and that list is still short." I groaned and turned into the parking lot of a coffee shop that had just opened on Hunter Road. Barbie raised her brow and I shook my head. "I'm getting desperate here."

"Hi! What can I get you?" A young girl with a high, blonde pony-tail asked happily. I couldn't really see myself being that chipper, but I was willing to fake it until I could find another job.

"Nothing, actually. I saw that you all are hiring?" I said with a smile. She seemed surprised that I was inquiring about it but excused herself to get the manager all the same.

"I'm sorry, ladies, I meant to take that sign down earlier. You can leave an application with me in case we have any openings in the future." The older woman said, plucking the sign out of the window. I shook my head and thanked her anyways.

"Have you thought about BJ's?" Barbie asked as we got back in the car. I raised my brow at her. "The club!"

"No, we don't really have the money to open a strip club, Barbie. I can't even afford to pay Happy back for rent right now. Besides, Happy doesn't want me stripping anymore and I hate to admit it but I agree with him." It felt like daggers hitting me to say that I agreed with his fussing, but I never really dreamed of stripping when I was a little girl.

"We wouldn't dance unless we wanted to. We would run the business and everything." Barbie explained. I dropped my hand from the ignition and shook my head.

"That would be great but we don't have a location or staff, both of which we can't afford." I said, feeling my anxiety creeping up. Barbie smirked and squeezed my knee.

"Sweetie, we do though. My parents left me some money when they died. I can front the cash and you can pay me your half over the next few years or so. Come on, please?" Barbie said, fluttering her eyes at me. I felt like she'd hit me in the face with one of the stilettos she was wearing.

"That's a lot of cash, doll." I started the car and headed back towards Teller-Morrow. Barbie shrugged.

"It is but we would also be off the stage and behind the scenes. I'm sure we could find a place in Lodi or somewhere like that. Where are we going?" She asked, turning down the radio.

"The clubhouse. Happy's going to kill me but I think I have an idea. I overheard Jax and Chibs talking about legit business ideas. What can bikers not say no to?" I asked, making a right onto Main Street.

"Free alcohol and pussy?" Barbie guessed. I laughed and nodded, she pretty much nailed it on the head. "If they get on board then we're protected to. As long as he's not going to ask for more than 15% or something. Are you going to talk to Happy about it first?"

"No, I'm honoring his wishes by finding a job where I keep my clothes on. The rest is free game." I said, parking the car in what was turning into my normal spot. I left the top down and hopped out, making a beeline to the clubhouse where I was sure Jax was. Barbie was right on my heels, her energy palpable and contagious.

"Hey, Jacky boy! We need to talk to you." I said, giving Chibs a wink. He chuckled and Jax stood up from the bar, motioning towards the chapel. We filed in and Chibs closed the door behind us. Jax leaned on the wall behind the head of the table and waved a hand towards Barbie and I.

"What can I do for you?" He asked. I wondered, in that moment, if I should have brought it up to Happy or if Barbie should have brought it up to Juice first. It was too late for that though, so I just exchanged a look with Barbie and we dove right in. Jax listened to our idea and waited until we fell silent to speak.

"We'll have to bring it to the table but I doubt anyone will be against owning part of a strip club. What did Happy and Juice say about it?" Jax asked, bracing his hands on the back of his chair and leaning forward. I twisted my mouth and glanced over at my partner in crime. Jax sighed and pushed his hair back. "You should have told them about it first."

"Happy said he didn't want me stripping and I'm not." I said, trying to shrug it off. Jax shook his head.

"Aye, but you're his old lady and you just came to the president and vp of his club about a business deal he doesn't know about. Knowing Hap, he's going to be pissed." Chibs said. I knew he was probably right but I was also worried that if we didn't pitch this now, I'd realize it was a crazy idea and end up working in some truck stop diner or worse, having Happy pay my bills.

"You know what they say about forgiveness and permission. Just don't bring it to them before whatever you're doing tonight, okay? I don't want him pissed at me and that cause him to be distracted and get hurt." Jax nodded in agreement. "Oh and I'm not an old lady."

"Don't let him hear you say that." Jax chuckled. I shook my head. What Jax didn't know is that Happy hadn't even mentioned putting a crow on me or me being his old lady since the lockdown. It was one of the reasons his objections to my job hunting made me so mad. He was okay with telling me what I could and couldn't do but he didn't consider me his old lady.

"We have appointments in an hour, Jaden." Barbie said, pulling me out of my thoughts. I looked over at her and nodded, remembering our hair appointments for the first time since we'd made them last week. She'd insisted I let her pay for mine since I was just getting it cut and conditioned.

"Hey, you good?" Happy asked as I walked out of the clubhouse. I nodded and gave him a quick kiss. He didn't really seem convinced and probably knew something was up.

"We're going to the salon and then home. Wake me up when you get there." I said, giving him a wink. He laughed and pulled me to him for a better kiss. "Hap, we gotta go."

"Be careful." He growled, smacking my butt as I turned away. I swatted back blindly as Barbie giggled. Juice gave me a wave and a smile as she and I walked to my car again.

I was sound asleep when my phone started ringing loudly from under my pillow. I groaned and answered it, knowing it had to be important if someone was calling that late at night. I glanced over at the clock and saw that it was half-past two in the morning.

"Hey, are you okay?" Barbie asked in almost a whisper. I yawned and nodded before I realized she couldn't see me.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I asked, rolling over and wishing Happy was there. My bed felt larger than ever when Happy wasn't in it with me. Sometimes it still surprised me how accustomed I was to having him around in such a short amount of time. It had only been a few months but I already knew I preferred life with him than without.

"Juice said they had church after the got back tonight and Happy was pissed. He stormed out of the clubhouse before they even voted. I figured you would have fought when he got there." Barbie said. I groaned and tossed the covers off, knowing if Happy wasn't here or at the clubhouse, he would probably be at one other place.

"He's not here. I'll go talk to him though. Is Juice mad?" I asked, pulling on a pair of jeans. Barbie made a half laugh and half scoff noise before explaining how they'd had only their second fight since being together as I got dressed and grabbed my car keys. "I'm sorry, doll. Tell him it's my fault. I'm going to hop off here and see if Hap will answer my call though. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

He didn't answer any of my three calls as walked to my car. I sighed and bent down to pick up my car keys I dropped while putting my phone in my pocket. The next thing I knew, my cheek was slammed into the concrete. I smelled vodka and a familiar cologne and felt my stomach flip. There was no doubt that it was Patrova's men, which also meant that I was in trouble.

"Where's your big bad biker now, Jaden?" The man asked in a thick accent as he picked me up and slammed my back into the car. It knocked the breath out of my lungs and left me gasping for air. "This is a nice car you've got, for a stripper."

I heard glass shattering and felt my car lower quickly as the tires were slashed. I had worked so hard for my car and now they were destroying it. I shoved at the man holding me still and spit towards him. He brought the back of his hand across my face sharply, busting my lip and sending blood flying.

"Next time, you may want to show a little respect." He said before slamming me hard against the car again. I slumped to the ground and felt the crunch of glass under my palms. My vision went fuzzy and I put all my energy into staying conscious. My whole body hurt and I could feel blood oozing out of my palms.

I pulled myself up, embedding some of the glass even further and hobbled back to my apartment. I couldn't even stand to look at my car, much less myself in the mirror. Instead, I slid down into the bathroom floor and started picking glass out of my hands. I took my phone out of my pocket and realized it had gotten cracked, most likely when he first shoved me to the ground.

"You want to tell me why you didn't answer your phone?" I woke up to Happy yelling and groaned, my head killing me. I looked down at my palms and realized I should have wrapped them before I went to sleep. There was blood all over the sheets. "What happened?"

I didn't want to tell him, I knew he wouldn't listen to me when I told him not to go after them. I just wanted to pretend it didn't happen. Happy took my hands and rubbed his thumbs over the dried blood. I winced and shook my head.

"What happened?" He repeated, softer this time. I bit my bottom lip, holding the tears back. He pulled me to him and I whimpered, my back aching from being slammed against my car. Happy pulled my chin up and gently kissed my busted lip. "Who did this, J?"

"Just hold me, Hap. I don't want to talk right now." I wanted to find a way to convince him to stay away from the Russians but more than that, I just wanted to not feel alone.

 **Look for the next update on Monday :) Taking the weekend off for real life and to try and get ahead on this story again, I've caught up with myself. I'm hoping to finish up Hard Time next week as well. Yes, the Aztecs will play a part later, for those of you who were wondering. Jaden cares about Happy and really likes him, but she's never going to just lay down and let him fight her battles. She's too strong for that and that's part of why he likes her.**


	12. Chapter 12

When Happy saw my car and I finally told him what had happened, he was even more mad than I thought he would be. He didn't yell or hit inanimate objects or anything to express how pissed he was. Instead, he got really quiet and took apart both of his guns, only to put them back together again. Anytime I asked him what he was going to do, he'd just look up at me and then go back to what he was doing.

"Where are you going?" He asked, breaking his vow of silence he'd seemed to have taken since we woke up that morning. It was nearly noon and I didn't see any hope in getting him to talk to me, so I'd gotten dressed and ready to go grocery shopping. "Jaden?"

"I have saltine crackers, rice and beer, Hap. I'm going to the grocery store." I had my last hundred dollars on me and hoped I could get enough food on sale to last me until my next pay day, whenever that was going to be. Happy stood up and pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. "I don't need your money, Happy."

"Damnit, Jaden. You don't need my money, you don't need me to take care of those assholes, what am I supposed to do, Jaden? You won't let me do shit for you." He yelled. I shook my head.

"I need a ride to the store." I said, raising my shoulders. Happy put his gun back together and nodded his head. I knew it wasn't the end of the conversation and taking me to the grocery store wasn't the kind of thing he wanted me to let him help with, but at least it was something.

"What are we doing here?" I asked as he pulled into the lot of Teller Morrow. He shut the bike off and took off his helmet before answering me.

"Truck's better for hauling stuff than the bike is." He said, pointing towards the matte black, 1967 Ford F100 I'd never seen move from the lot before.

"This is yours?" I asked, impressed by the completely restored interior. He started it up and nodded.

"Yeah, I restored it up in Tacoma. Hauled my stuff down here in it and keep it for rainy days." He explained. I smiled and ran my hand over the dash. It was one hell of a rainy day vehicle.

"You don't have to come in." I said, opening the door as he turned the truck off. The look he gave me told me all I needed to know about that comment. "I was just saying, Hap. I'll let you push the cart if you want."

"You're hilarious." His tone didn't match the compliment, but I took it anyways. He walked beside me in almost complete silence as I walked towards the frozen foods. I took a deep breath and started looking through the glass, freezer doors, turned off by the very idea of frozen food. Ever since I got the job at Diamonds and Lace, I'd eaten as little processed food as possible.

"Jaden?" A guy asked walking up from the opposite end of the aisle. I didn't recognize him which meant he probably recognized me from the club. For him to call me out with Happy by my side also meant that he was either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid.

"Do I know you?" I asked, hoping to get the awkwardness out of the way. He laughed and rubbed at the back of his neck.

"Well, no I guess you don't. I was at a bachelor party a couple weeks ago. You look really different in clothes." He said, leaning on the freezer. He inclined his head towards Happy. "What's up, man?"

"You aren't too smart, are you?" Happy growled. I laced my fingers in with his and looked up at him.

"Look, man. Your girl's a stripper. Can't really blame a guy for being a fan. You are a lot shorter without those fuck me heels on." The guy chuckled and wagged his eyebrows at me.

"Hap, let's just go. We can do this later or something." I said, hoping he'd listen to me. He glanced down at me and shook his head.

"No, J. Go get whatever and I'm going to talk to your biggest fan." He said, handing me his wallet, chain still attached. I opened my mouth to object but I realized that he had held enough back today and this guy was pretty much asking for it.

I was on the bread aisle when he joined back up with me. I handed him his wallet but didn't ask any questions about what he'd been up to while I was shopping. He looked in the buggy and raised his brow..

"No frozen food?" He asked with a smirk. I could tell that what ever he'd done had given him a little reprieve from his bad mood. I shook my head with a small smile.

"Just so you know, I'm going to pay you back for everything." I said as we approached the check out line. He swatted my ass and took my place at the back of the cart, resting his forearms on the handle. I held back an eye roll as I unloaded the groceries onto the conveyer.

"Why won't you let me take care of you?" Happy asked as we got into his truck. I closed the door and sighed.

"I've never needed anyone to take care of me, Hap. Not since I was fifteen. I know you mean well but every time you pay for something or try to fix things, it makes me feel like I need you. I don't want to need you, Hap. Not like that." I said, hoping he wouldn't take it the wrong way. He didn't say anything and started the truck instead, heading back to my apartment in Lodi without a word.

"You should have talked to me about the plan." Happy finally said after carrying in the last four grocery bags. I closed the refrigerator and leaned back on the counter with my arms across my chest.

"Is that what all this is about, Happy? You're feelings are hurt because I didn't ask for your permission?" I said, getting fed up. Happy tossed the bags down on the glass dining table and walked over to me. He pinned me down with his hands on either side of my hips and glared at me.

"It ain't about my damn feelings, Jaden! You're my old lady and you went to my president about shit I didn't even know about. You don't need my permission but at least fucking talk to me about shit before I get blindsided at church." Happy growled, moving his hands to hold my hips. His thumbs dipped down below the waistband of my shorts and I bit my bottom lip.

"You've never said anything about me being your old lady, Happy. I'm sorry you felt blindsided but if I waited or talked it out with you, I would have talked myself out of it." I said, trying to ignore the way he was making me feel. If we stopped talking about it now, we'd just have sex and be right back into the same fight in a few days.

"You've met my Ma and I used your soap. You're the closest thing I've ever had to an old lady. Just don't dance anymore, J. You can be a pain in the ass and independent and all that shit but no dancing." He said, sliding his hands back towards my ass. I smiled mischievously and kissed his neck.

"No dancing at all?" I whispered, running my hands up his chest and around to the back of his neck. I kissed his jaw and stepped towards him, leaving little to no space between our bodies.

"Just for me, Jaden." He growled, catching my mouth with his. I smiled and pulled away, giving him a wink and taking his hand to lead him over to the couch. He smirked and sat dow, leaving his knees wide like he did the first night we'd met.

I rested my chin on his chest and he smoothed my hair. We both smelled like a mixture between sweat and sex, but I didn't care. I felt like we'd finally cleared the air about BJ's and the club and he seemed a lot less tense now that he'd fucked me all over the apartment. My phone started vibrating and he groaned.

"Hush, your damn phone rings all the time." I said, pecking his lips. "Hey, Barbie, what's up?"

"Are you busy? I think I found a location for BJ's." Barbie said, sounded excited. Happy narrowed his eyes at me, obviously wanting me to stay in bed with him.

"No, I'm good. Do you mind picking me up at the garage? Give me like thirty minutes." I said, moving to get off the bed. Happy put his hand on my lower back and held me against his body. "Make that an hour."

"Okay, take your time. I'm going to grab lunch for Juice and Tig." She said with a giggle. I was going to tell her goodbye, but Happy took my phone and put it on the nightstand out of my reach.

"You're so needy." I purred as he pushed me onto my back and positioned himself over me. He shook his head and grabbed both my hands, pinning them above my head with one of his much larger hands.

An hour and a half later, Barbie and I were pulling up to a cinder-block building just southwest of Charming. It was closer to Oakland than I would have preferred, but I decided to at least take a look around. Jax and Chibs had invited themselves along as business partners and Happy and Juice came along as well, not wanting to be left out of the loop again.

"Good location. Close enough to Charming for us and close to Oakland for a better crowd." Jax said with a nod as we walked into the building behind the realtor. Happy and I shared a look but neither of us said anything.

"What business are you looking to open?" The realtor asked, looking from Jax to Barbie. I wandered over towards far wall of the main room, imagining the layout as I walked.

"A gentleman's club." Barbie said, trying to make it sound better than the strip club it was going to be. I heard the realtor stuttering a little and smiled.

"Find us a building and we'll make sure to pay you back." I said with a wink. The realtor's cheeks reddened and Happy shot me a look. "What? I retired from the stage but we're going to have other dancers."

"Uh huh." Happy said with a shake of his head. I smiled and walked through a door leading towards the back of the building. There were several office like rooms and a larger room that we could probably use as a dressing room.

"What do you think, Jaden?" Barbie asked, joining me in the potential dressing room. I nodded and looked up at the lighting.

"It would take work to make it ours, but it could work." I said with a smile. She nodded and held a key out towards me. I laughed with a nod, taking the key from her.

"Let's go tell him yes then!" She said, taking my hand and dragging me back to the main room. I saw Happy standing outside smoking a cigarette and excused myself to grab him before we talked to the realtor.

"We're going to go ahead and sign for the place." I said, sliding my hand into his. He nodded and flipped the cigarette away, pushing his sunglasses to the top of his head as he followed me back inside.

"So, if everybody agrees, we'll take it." Barbie said, looking over to Jax. He nodded and so did I. The realtor seemed relieved to close the deal and set up a time for us to work on signing the papers.

"Do you want to ride back with me?" Happy asked as he sat on his bike. I nodded and slid on behind him, grabbing my helmet from the saddlebag as he started the bike.

"What are we doing here?" I asked as he shut the bike off in front of a tattoo shop. He nodded towards the door and took my helmet, hanging it on the handlebars.

"You're getting a tattoo." He said, turning a key in the door. I froze at the door and looked after him incredulously. He flipped the light on and nodded for me to come inside.

"Happy, we should talk about this first." I said, feeling my internal brakes slamming on. He laughed and sat down at a station.

"Calm down, J. I'm not putting a crow on you yet." He said, pulling out a tattoo machine and a canister of salve. I felt air come back into my lungs and nodded.

"Then what are you planning on permanently inking me with?" I asked with a nervous laugh. He nodded towards the tattoo chair.

"You'd think you would trust me by now." He said, filling some ink pots with bright colors.

"I trust you not to kill me and not to break my heart. Everything else is to be determined." I said, lifting my back off the chair and taking my shirt off. He gave me a questioning look. "What? I at least get to say where it goes."

"You know it's going to hurt there, right?" Happy said, rubbing salve over my side where I'd pointed. It was about six inches above the stars on my hips. I closed my eyes and relaxed, letting my thoughts rest and just enjoying the feel of his hands on my skin and the needle pricking me over and over.

"An enso?" I asked with a smile. I was familiar with the meaning but didn't realize that Happy did.

"Yeah, it fits you." He said, leaning down to kiss my shoulder before returning to the station we'd used to clean up. Knowing that Happy had picked that symbol for me made me realize how much he meant to me in such a short time. He was the first person I'd let get this close to me and as scary as that was, it was also exciting.

"Once I have the money, I think I'm going to move closer to BJ's. Possibly to Charming." I said as we finally got back to my apartment. I waited for him to take off his kutte and shoes, but when he didn't I realized that he wasn't staying. He held my gaze and nodded.

"Good. I don't like you being so far away. I've got to take care of something tonight." He said. I nodded, not surprised that he actually had to get back to the club. He kissed my lips and cupped my cheek with his hand before turning towards the door. "Lock up, J."


	13. Chapter 13

Remodeling for BJ's started two weeks ago and between that and finding dancers for the club, I hardly had any time for anything else. I was sitting in Barbie and I's office, one of the only completed rooms, when Happy walked in unexpectedly. I smiled and walked over to him, welcoming his tight hug.

"Hey stranger. I didn't know you were coming down today." I said between kisses. He had his hands on my hips and was holding me close.

"Yeah, thought I'd surprise you. Finally got two damn days without shit to do." He growled. I could tell he was tired and I knew that whatever runs they'd been doing were taking a toll on him. He'd come to my apartment a few nights awake and had enough energy for food and sex before passing out on his side of the bed.

"I've got someone auditioning at noon but after that I can push everything off. Do you want to hang around or what?" I asked, rubbing my fingers over the short hairs that were starting to cover his head. He caught my hand and narrowed his eyes at me.

"I'll hang around. You look at any places in Charming yet?" He asked, knowing I hadn't. I shook my head and stepped back behind my glass topped, metal desk.

"Not yet, Hap. We've got to get this place going and making some money before I can even think about looking." I said, hoping it wouldn't put him in a foul mood. He just nodded and picked up the application that was sitting on the corner of the desk. "She goes by Serenity."

"Her tits are fake." Happy said, tossing the application back on the desk. I laughed and nodded in agreement. She the one coming here at noon?"

"Why? Excited to see her big, fake tits?" I asked playfully. He shook his head and gave me a wicked smirk.

"I've got real tits I can play with. Want me to show you?" He growled, walking over to me. I glanced up at the clock that read twenty after eleven and nodded. Happy gave me a real smile and crossed the room to close and lock the door. I already had my shirt unbuttoned when he turned back towards me.

"I missed you." I purred as he peppered kisses down my neck and to my tits that he seemed eager to get to. I smirked and watched his brow raise. "It's healed, baby."

"Damn, Jaden. I like it." He said, flicking the ring through my nipple with his tongue before sucking it into his mouth. It was the first time he'd seen my new piercing that I'd gotten with Barbie last week. He moved his mouth over to my other, non pierced nipple and sucked even harder on it, biting the sensitive tip roughly.

"Hap, I need more of you." I whined, reaching for his belt he let me free his dick as he pushed my shorts off of me and spread my arousal up and down my slit with his fingers. I moaned and grabbed his wrist, pulling his hand away so I could lower myself down to my knees in front of him. He moaned as I took his tip into my mouth and swirled my tongue around the smooth skin.

"J, stop." He panted. I could feel his member twitching in my mouth and knew I had him close to the edge. I shoved papers to the side and cleared out a spot on my desk before sitting on the edge, the cold glass sending goose bumps up my spine. He cracked his neck and took a second to come down before putting on hand on my collarbone and one hand firmly on my thigh.

"Hap, kiss me or gag me." I panted, knowing I wouldn't be able to hold back from screaming his name in a moment. He did as I said and slammed his mouth onto mine just in time. I felt his dick twitching inside of me as I tightened around him and we came together. We were both breathing hard when he broke the kiss. I glanced up at the clock and groaned, shoving him away from me.

"You're a bad influence." I said as I walked out of the private bathroom Barbie and I insisted on having. He was buckling his belt and had a satisfied smirk on his lips.

"You're the one who didn't want me focusing on fake tits." He teased as I pulled my hair back. I rolled my eyes and tossed a pen at him, which he of course swatted away with his ninja like reflexes. There was a knock at the door before he could retaliate against my failed attack.

"Come in!" I called, fastening the last button on my shirt. Serenity walked in with a large, Hispanic man in a leather kutte right behind her. I glanced over at Happy who seemed to remain pretty calm but serious at the same time.

"Jaden, I hope you don't mind. I brought my boyfriend Esai with me." Serenity said, reaching her hand out towards me. I shook it and tried not to show how unsure I was. Happy stood up from his chair and swapped a handshake and back pat with Esai. It made me feel a little better but the Oakland patch on the Mayan's kutte didn't.

"Of course not. Happy, I'll be ready in about thirty minutes." I said, motioning Serenity towards the door. The main stage wasn't done yet but the dressing room and practice area was so we were able to hold auditions after weeding out the crop during interviews.

"You're not coming to watch, ese? She's got a sister you know." Esai said with a laugh as he followed Serenity. I narrowed my eyes as Happy met me at the door. He planted a kiss in my hair and walked beside me with his hand on my lower back.

"Jaden's more than enough ol' lady for me. She'd cut a bitch for looking at me anyways." Happy said lightly. Neither of us tolerated anyone trying to move in on the other, so even though Esai may have found it funny, Happy wasn't kidding.

To say I wasn't impressed with Serenity's dancing was an understatement. She seemed nervous and a little lost, but Esai was eating it up and urging her on. I glanced at Happy who was watching her dance with his arms across his chest and a bored expression on his face. I sighed and decided to go ahead and wrap it up early.

"I'm sorry, being in clothes makes me really uncomfortable." Serenity said as I stopped the music. I blinked a couple times and looked over at her.

"Excuse me?" I said, wondering what exactly she meant by that. She giggled shyly and hitched her shoulder.

"I'm just used to dancing in less clothes. It's hard to dance in clothes." She said with a little grin towards Esai. I rubbed my eyes and shook my head, passing my clipboard over to Happy.

"No, it's not actually." I said, grabbing the pole well above my head and inverting myself easily. I watched Serenity fold her arms over her chest and purse her lips before I did a few more, basic moves. I took the clipboard back from Happy as I stepped off the platform. "Barbie is thinking about holding a clinic next week when the main stage is done. If you want to come and learn some stuff in that class then we can audition you again the week after that."

"Come on, brother. She's good." Esai said, nodding over towards Happy. He raised his brow but I stepped in before he could say anything.

"I'm sorry, you understand this is mine and my best friend's bar, right? Happy doesn't make hiring decisions." I said, tossing the clipboard onto a dressing table. Esai laughed and stepped towards me, obviously hoping to intimidate me.

"You're an old lady. Maybe you should learn your place, chica." Esai said, stalking closer and closer. Happy stepped in front of me and I could see the muscles in his back and neck tensing.

"She's my old lady, Esai. Come at her like that again and I break both your legs. Only thing that keeps you alive is that V.P. patch." Happy growled, sounding more vicious and cold than I'd ever heard him before. I stepped to the side and out from behind Happy in time to see Esai drag Serenity out of the room.

"Happy." I said softly, honestly concerned about his mood. He nodded and put his arm around my shoulders before leaning over and kissing the side of my head. As terrified as he'd made me moments before, I felt completely safe with him.

"Come on, J." He said, pausing only slightly so I could grab my stuff from the office. He made sure my car doors were locked and the engine was started before climbing on his bike and letting it idle. I called Barbie and filled her in on everything that happened after Serenity showed up as I followed Happy back to the clubhouse.

"We need to talk to the club about getting some security down there. I'm not looking for prospects to hang around but I have a feeling they'll want a say in who protects their investment." Barbie said as I turned onto the lot.

"Yeah. Are you coming to the party tonight?" I asked, turning the car off. She told me she would before I disconnected my phone from the radio and met Happy over by the ring. We were sharing a cigarette when Tara pulled up in her SUV.

"Have you seen Gemma?" She asked, shielding her eyes with her hand. I shook my head and Happy did the same. Tara groaned and looked over at the garage. "She's got the boys and she was supposed to bring them to me two hours ago."

"She's probably fine, Tara. Just take a deep breath." I said, hoping to reassure her. The minute the words left my lips, her face darkened and I could tell I said the wrong thing.

"You don't even have kids, Jaden. Don't tell me to take a deep breath!" She snapped. I gritted my teeth and nodded, taking the lashing that I probably deserved. She sighed and frowned a little before heading into the clubhouse to try and find Jax, no doubt.

"I can't have kids." I said, taking a joint out of my cigarette pack and holding out my hand for Happy's lighter. He passed it over to me and watched as I lit the joint.

"Okay." He said, pocketing his lighter and taking a drink of his beer. I looked over at him, surprised that he didn't have more to say. One of Palo's excuses for cheating on me was wanting to have children one day. He'd known all along that I wasn't able to give that to him. "Jaden, I don't want kids. Call me selfish but I don't want to share what's mine."

"Son of a bitch." I groaned as Roosevelt's patrol car pulled into the lot. Happy finished the joint and flicked the roach onto the ground at the Sheriff's feet. I tried to hold back a laugh.

"Ms. Conner, just who I was looking for." He said, nodding towards me. I crossed my arms over my chest and smiled arrogantly.

"You obviously weren't looking too hard. If you're here to try and black mail me again, it's not going to work." I spat. Happy stood up and positioned himself between me and the sheriff.

"You've gotten her pretty trained, don't you Lowman? Only talks when you say? How many beatings did that take?" He said, smiling as he chewed on his gum.

"You want to say that again?" Tig asked, walking up from the garage. The sheriff looked over at him and chuckled.

"Just wanted to pass along a message. That's all. I've got a buddy that heard your name floating around Oakland earlier today. Thought you may want to know." He said before turning away. "Oh and don't litter, Lowman. Hate for you to violate your parole and go inside for ten to fifteen."

"Of course her name is in Oakland, they're opening a new titty bar." Tig said, shaking his head as the sheriff got back in his car. Happy didn't comment and I just shook my head. Roosevelt knew about my past with the Aztecs but at the same time, it could just be another attempt to get me to talk.

Neither Happy or I spoke much over the next couple of hours. I came to the conclusion that Roosevelt had said all that to scare me into cooperating, whether that was the case or not, it at least made me feel better. What I was worrying about while Happy was deep in his own thoughts, was the chances of him actually violating parole and going away for over a decade.

"Do you want to stay for the party or go home?" Happy finally asked as the music started up and people started arriving. I shook my head and put on a fake smile.

"Nowhere safer than right here, Happy. Forget what he said, doll. He just wants me to help him with shutting the club down." I purred, kissing the side of his neck. I felt him relax ever so slightly, but he was still tense.

"Maybe. You're not staying alone in Lodi anymore, J. Either I'm there with you or you stay here with me until you get a place in Charming." He growled, spinning my seat around so I was facing him. I nodded and gave him a small smile. "See? You even think you're full of shit. You wouldn't let me boss you around if you weren't scared."

"I'm not scared, Hap. I'm with you." I said, kissing his lips softly. He nodded and called a croweater over to bring us beers. Barbie walked in a moment later, waving at me with a big smile.

"Hey! I tried calling you like three times!" She said, giving me a hug. I patted my pockets and shrugged.

"I must have left it in the car. I'm sorry." I said, wondering what was so important that she'd called me multiple times. She glanced over at Happy and Juice who were talking and drinking a few feet away. Barbie grabbed my elbow and pulled me a few more feet from them.

"You have to promise not to say anything, okay?" She asked excitedly. I didn't like making those types of promises but I nodded all the same. "I'm pregnant!"

"Oh, uh, wow! How far along are you? Have you not told Juice?" I asked, feeling the need for something stronger than beer. She shook her head with a giggle.

"Not yet. I want to find some cute way of telling him. I just took a test at home earlier. Do you think you could go to the doctor with me on Monday?" She asked, practically bouncing up and down. I ground my teeth together for a second before nodding with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah of course I can, Barbie." I said, giving her a hug. I assumed that was what friends did when one of them found out they were pregnant. I'd never been in the situation before. She giggled again as she grabbed my hand and led me back to Happy and Juice who had moved on to playing pool.

"What?" Happy growled, looking from Barbie to me. I swallowed and shook my head, unsure of why I suddenly felt the urge to get away from the party. He leaned on the pool cue and raised his brow at me.

"I'm entirely too sober for this party right now." I said with honesty. As if on cue, Tig showed up with a bottle of tequila in his hand. "Do you mind?"

"Damn, Hap! She might drink you and me both under the table." Tig said as I drank a few shooters worth of tequila straight from the bottle. Happy just grunted and kept his eyes on me. I passed the bottle back to Tig, knowing that if I hadn't, I probably would have finished the whole thing.

"Happy, stop." I said as he took my beer away from me. I'd felt myself getting light headed and my face going numb about three beers ago, but it hadn't stopped me from drinking.

"Hap, she's fine." Lyla said with a laugh as I nodded sloppily in agreement. Happy just scowled at her and finished my beer off, pointing at the prospect behind the bar.

"You give her anything else besides water and you'll never see a top rocker." He threatened before tossing the bottle into the trash behind the bar. I spun around to glare at Happy and felt myself getting the spins.

"Stop doing that! I'm a grown woman, Happy! If I want to get drunk then I can." I said, sounding more like a whiney teenager than the adult I'd claimed to be. Happy shook his head with annoyance and turned to walk away. I scoffed and followed him, shoving his back a little harder than I meant to. "Where are you going? Looking for some whore to get back at me with?"

"I was going to piss, Jaden. What the fuck?" Happy barked, shoving me against the wall. I slammed the heels of my hands into his chest and he took a step back.

"What the fuck? How about what the fuck is with you trying to tell me where to go and what to do? I'm not even your old lady! Not officially. See?" I pulled my shirt off above my head and spun around, showing him that I didn't have a crow tattoo. He grabbed my upper arm and led me down to his dorm, shoving me inside.

"That isn't what this is about, Jaden. You were fucking fine until Barbie got here. What'd she say?" He growled. Of course he wouldn't miss a beat. It was Happy. It was his job to pay attention. I scoffed and tried to walk out of the room, but he stepped right in my way.

"What does it matter, Happy? This isn't something you can fix! You already said you didn't want kids anyways!" I said, feeling drunk tears welling up in my eyes. I sighed dramatically and turned away from him.

"Juice knocked her up?" Happy asked, his voice less rough now. I swatted tears away and nodded, not turning around to look at him.

"Don't worry, you're safe on that one." I said, my voice betraying me and cracking towards the end. Happy sighed and I heard him walking towards me.

"Jaden, I can't fix that, baby. If I could then we'd have ten fucking kids if you wanted them. They'd been mean and stubborn as shit but hopefully they'd look like you. I'm sorry, J." He said, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing my shoulder. I sniffled and shook my head.

"You don't mean that. You don't want kids, remember?" I said, finally starting to get a handle on my tears. Happy made a sound of agreement and kissed my shoulder again.

"I remember. Willing to do shit I don't want to for my ol' lady." He said, loosening his hold on me so I could turn and face him. He kissed my forehead and smoothed my hair. "I love you, Jaden. You tell me when and we'll get a crow on you if that's what you need to believe that I'm not going anywhere."

"I love you, Happy, but I think I'm going to be sick." I said, feeling my stomach flip and the room start spinning again. He laughed and gave me a nod, following me into the bathroom as I made it to the toilet, just in time.

"My ol' lady is such a romantic." He said as he pulled my hair back for me. I groaned and flipped him a bird as I emptied my stomach of all the tequila and beer.


	14. Chapter 14

"Morning." Happy said with a little bit of a laugh as I came out to the garage around one in the afternoon. I groaned and swatted his comment away, not wanting to be teased. He wiped his hands on a shop rag and stopped working on his bike to give me a hug. "You hungry?"

"Starving." I admitted with my stomach growling in agreement. Happy chuckled and motioned towards my car. "Where to?"

"Your place, J. I've got to go to Tacoma tomorrow and I won't be back for a few days." He said, holding out his hand. "I'm driving."

"Why?" I asked, rolling my eyes and handing my keys over. He didn't answer until we got in the car.

"It's supposed to rain." He said. I glance out of the window to see a cloudless sky and shook my head. It rarely rained and it didn't look like there was any chance today. I grabbed my sunglasses out of the center console and leaned the seat back, feeling some nausea setting in.

"What time are you leaving tomorrow?" I asked, rolling over in the bed and putting my hand on his chest. He smoothed my hair and traced his fingers down my back. We'd eaten and then quickly got into bed and hadn't left it yet. The sun was setting and I felt uneasy about him leaving.

"Noon. You worried about me, baby girl?" Happy asked with a grin. I laughed and hitched my shoulder. He chuckled and kissed me roughly.

"Maybe a little. What did Roosevelt mean about parole?" I asked, hoping he wouldn't shut me out. He took a deep breath and let it out quickly through his nose. "Hap, I don't ever ask what you do but I don't want you risking going to prison."

"Jaden, you let me worry about that. It's not your problem." He said nonchalantly. I shoved off his chest and sat up, staring down at him angrily.

"It's not my problem? What is my problem, Happy? If you get enough pussy and food? You're an ass!" He propped up on his elbows and looked at me, not showing any emotion at all. I turned to get out of bed and he caught my wrist quickly.

"Calm down. That's not what I meant, J. It's just not something you need to worry about, okay? I've got it under control. You aren't getting rid of me that easily." He said with a smile. I was still mad, but I let him pull me back to him. "You don't really cook enough to keep me fed anyways."

"Shut up." I grumbled, putting my head back on his chest as he held me tight. Before that moment, I hadn't really thought about what I would do without him. He'd become so intertwined with my life that the thought of him not being there almost gave me a full on anxiety attack. To be honest, if he wasn't there to talk me back down I probably would have had a bad one.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked, pausing in his stroking of my back. I traced one of his many demon tattoos on his arms and closed my eyes.

"Do you think I'm weak for loving you?" I asked. He took a couple minutes to answer.

"No. You're one of the strongest minded people I know. It pissed me off in the beginning. Now I'd be worried if I didn't catch some shit from you every day." He said. I could hear the honesty in his voice and it made me feel a little better. I nodded and threw my leg over him so that my knees were on either side of his hips.

"You think you can go for another round or are you too tired?" I asked with a wink. I knew his birthday was coming up soon, thanks to Mya, and I'd been teasing him about being old. I honestly didn't even notice the nearly fifteen year difference between us.

"Smartass. Don't plan on walking tomorrow." He growled, narrowing his eyes at me. I laughed and leaned forward, placing me lips right between his ear and his jaw.

"Is that a promise?" I whispered. He answered by flipping us over and pinning me onto my bed with a hard kiss and his hand travelling down my body.

After three more rounds of sex, spinach lasagna and a movie in bed, we fell asleep together. I let the sound of his even breaths calm me into a deep sleep that I never got when he wasn't there. He pulled my back to his chest in his sleep and I didn't mind that he had no plans of letting me go.

I spent most of Sunday cleaning and texting Happy about being sore. He seemed to think it was hilarious that I didn't even get out of my car when I dropped him off at the garage. After that, I promised myself that I'd get back into yoga. If I planned on staying with Happy it would be necessary if I couldn't have a day to recover after sex.

"Hey! This is cute!" Barbie said, pointing at the light blue maxi-dress I was wearing. I shrugged, not wanting to admit that I hadn't done laundry and had to start wearing clothes in the back of my closet. My washing machine was on the fritz and the one time I mentioned going to the laundry mat, Happy about lost his mind. He'd said I should use the washer and dryer at the clubhouse but the thought of how much semen and vomit had been in those machines made me queasy.

"Thanks. Are we going to Lodi Memorial or St. Thomas?" I asked, grabbing my purse so we wouldn't be late for her doctor's appointment. Happy tried to talk me out of going with her but I assured him that being there for my friend was more important.

"Neither, actually. I've got an appointment with Dr. Montgomery at Oakland General. I can give you gas money, hun." She must have thought my hesitation was over the distance but in reality, I was nervous about being in Oakland. Other than passing through on the way to Bakersfield with Happy, I hadn't been to Oakland in years.

"No, no, it's fine, doll. I just thought you'd go to St. Thomas since it's closer to Juice and everything." I said, stumbling to find an excuse for my surprise.

"So he can find out from someone else? No way." She laughed. I was going to mention the laws that stopped doctors or nurses discussing patient information but decided there wasn't really any point.

"The liquor guy called me this morning. They should be delivering our first order Wednesday morning. He said we're getting a new client discount for the first six months, so that's good." I said, trying desperately to get my mind off our destination as I got on the interstate. Barbie and I jumped into a conversation about suppliers and dancers that did a decent job of distracting me until I turned off the interstate and into downtown Oakland.

"Are you okay?" Barbie asked as we got out of the car. I almost choked on my forced smile but nodded all the same. She pursed her lips in disbelief but didn't press me on it. I motioned towards the building as I scanned the parking lot and the road behind us.

"Come on, don't want to be late, momma." I said with a nervous laugh. Barbie smiled and her cheeks blushed with excitement. A custodian by the doors looked up at us as we walked in, probably wondering what we were there for. Barbie was no where close to showing yet and I knew I would be curious about patients if I saw them come and go all the time.

We were sitting in the waiting room of the doctor's office and Barbie was filling out paperwork when the anxiety started kicking in. I felt like the walls were closing in on me and it seemed like everyone in the room were watching me, only to look away when I glanced their way. I jumped when Barbie dropped the clipboard onto the tile floor.

"J? You sure you're okay? You're jumpier than Phil when Tig or Happy are looking for him. Seriously, what's wrong?" Barbie said, abandoning her paperwork.

"I'm not great with doctor's offices or hospitals. I'm going to step outside and have a smoke, okay? I'll be back before they call for you." I said, squeezing her hand. She frowned but nodded all the same, thankfully understanding that I needed some space.

I was glad I'd started keeping a pack of Happy's cigarettes in my bag for the rare times I would want or need a smoke. It started being less about the nicotine and more about the smell that, mixed with leather, meant Happy. I lit up and took a long drag, letting the smoke fill my lungs and mouth. The custodian from the front doors was talking to someone in a dark SUV across the lot now. I started counting things, hoping to ground myself fast enough to get back inside before Barbie saw the doctor.

"JJ! Long time no see, chica!" I tensed all over and blew out my mouth full of smoke in a huff. No one outside of the Aztecs called me JJ. Sure enough, I looked up at a couple men coming from the direction of the dark SUV and recognized them both. Alonzo had more white in his dark hair but he still wore the same, gold rings on his right hand. Martinez, his right hand looked even crazier than I remembered.

"You haven't been getting my Christmas cards?" I asked with a smirk. Martinez yanked my cigarette out of my finger tips and threw it into the mulch behind me. I nodded. "Obviously not."

"You look good, JJ. Got some more curves than before. You could almost pass for a Latina." Martinez said with a wink. I hitched my shoulder and gave him a smile.

"Almost. Seriously, I'll work on that mailing list but I need to get back inside." I said, taking a couple steps back. Alonzo snapped his fingers and I felt a pair of smaller hands on me. I looked back to see the custodian holding my arms. She shoved me back towards the two men.

"Let's go for a ride, Jaden. We have a lot to talk about." Alonzo said, grabbing my upper arm tightly. I didn't miss the grips of the pistol in Martinez's waistband when he lifted his shirt up. My own gun was in my purse but I couldn't exactly get it without being obvious and getting shot in the process.

"We could probably talk on the phone or email or something. Seriously, Alonzo. I didn't say shit to the cops. I didn't know Eddie was going to flip like that! I told him not to go for that Escalade!" I said frantically as they shoved me towards the SUV. Alonzo turned and back handed me across the face with his rings cutting into my skin. I yelped and jumped back.

"Hey! Let her go!" Someone yelled in Spanish. Alonzo's grip on my arm only tightened further and Martinez drew his gun. "Bad idea, ese."

"This doesn't concern you, Esai. Mind your own." Alonzo snapped, shoving me over to Martinez. I saw Esai start smiling and his silver grill flashed in the sun.

"See, she's a Son's old lady and the Mayans and Sons are good. You hurt a Son's old lady you hurt a Mayan's old lady." Esai said, stepping closer to the SUV. I swallowed hard, hoping his tactics paid off. "Heard of the Tacoma Killer?"

"What about him?" Martinez asked with venom in his voice. I raised my brow, wondering what Esai was getting at. He laughed like a villain in a comic book, head back and all. I started to wonder if he wasn't crazier than Martinez.

"You're holding his old lady hostage there. Also split her face open pretty bad." Esai said, clicking his tongue in disapproval. I wondered if he was bluffing or if I was in fact dating someone nicknamed the Tacoma Killer. I knew he killed for the club and probably had more blood on his hands than in his body but that name sounded like some serial killer.

"That true, JJ? You that psycho's whore?" I narrowed my eyes and threw my elbow back, connecting with Martinez's nose with a crunch. He dropped his hands from me immediately and I bolted, only stopping once I'd reached Esai and gotten a grip on the gun in my purse.

"I'm not anyone's whore. I'll make sure to work on that mailing list. I didn't know you'd be so offended." I said, spitting blood towards them. Esai laughed and tried to put his arm around me. He stopped when I shot a glare at him. We watched as the dark SUV sped off out of the parking lot. "Thank you."

"Yeah, no problem, chica. You know who they are?" He asked. I nodded, pulling a Happy by not explaining any further. He nodded and pointed towards the doors. "Go ahead. I'll make sure you get to Charming safe."

"Where were-" Barbie stopped midsentence and yanked me into a bathroom. "What happened, Jaden?"

"Sorry, doll. What did the doctor say?" I asked, ignoring her question about my face. She reached out to touch it and I dodged her hand reflexively.

"He said I'm about six weeks. Seriously, Jaden. What the hell happened?" She said, coming towards the brink of tears. I paused for a single moment and everything that had happened in the last hour hit me like a ton of bricks. My chest tightened and I couldn't catch my breath no matter how hard I tried.

"You drive." I managed to gasp. Barbie's eyes were the size of Harley wheels but she nodded and started helping me out of the hospital. Esai was standing there with several other Mayans when we came outside.

"You okay?" He asked, looking at my paled face. I shook my head but didn't stop to explain. I knew that the sooner I felt safe, locked in my car, the sooner I could breathe. Barbie opened the door for me before quickly going to the other side. I buckled my seatbelt and locked the doors, almost instantly feeling some relief.

"Here, talk to him." I said, handing Barbie my phone. Happy was calling it for the second time but I still didn't feel up to explaining anything. She held the phone with her shoulder as she pulled out of the hospital.

"I don't know, Jesus, don't yell at me. We were at an appointment and she went out to smoke and came back with her face busted up. I think she's having an anxiety attack. My mom used to have them." Barbie said quickly. I nodded and looked in the rearview mirror to see four Mayans riding behind us.

"What does it matter where we went?" She paused and bit her lip. I could hear him yelling loudly and felt guilty for subjecting Barbie to that. "Oakland, okay? I had a doctor's appointment in Oakland."

"Sorry." I whispered to Barbie as she handed me my phone back. She twisted her mouth and looked over at me.

"Does he yell at you like that a lot, Jaden? I know you like him but if he hurts you or yells at you." I stopped her with a shake of my head.

"It's not like that, Barbie. We fight but he's never hurt me or yelled at me more than I've yelled at him. He's just worried." I said, knowing Barbie wasn't used to Happy yet. We'd been around the club for over four months now but she still had limited interactions with him.

"Why are those guys following us?" She asked, looking back at the Mayans who had merged onto the interstate behind us. I explained what had happened in the parking lot, leaving off the bit about Martinez and Alonzo being Aztecs and my previous partnership with them.

"I'm sorry, Jaden! I shouldn't have made you come to Oakland with me." She said, almost crying again. I chalked it up to hormones because she wasn't so emotional normally.

"Don't, Barbie. It's not your fault and you didn't make me. I agreed to come, remember?" I said, noticing my face was starting to hurt more and more.

"I'm guessing we're going to the clubhouse instead of your apartment?" She asked with a weak grin. I nodded and glanced back in the mirror, noticing they were still behind us. We'd crossed into Charming a couple minutes ago and I had thought they would have left already.

"Esai, Alvarez, thanks for getting them back safe." Jax said to the two Mayans that had gotten off their bikes and walked onto the lot. Alverez had jet black, slicked back hair and a neat goatee.

"Of course, brother. May want to keep that one out of Oakland unless she's escorted though. Esai says she has some bad blood with the Aztecs. They Mayans and your club are on good terms but I can't afford a war with the Aztecs, my friend." Alvarez said, shaking Jax's hand. Jax's blue eyes moved over to me as he nodded.

"I appreciate it." He said before they parted ways. Jax pointed at me and then the clubhouse. I groaned and followed him inside.

"Want to tell me how you managed to start a war in Oakland? Why were you even there? How do you even know the Aztecs?" He was firing question after question at me and it was making me angrier and angrier.

"I didn't start a fucking war! I took my best friend to the doctor and went outside for a cigarette! I'm not a prospect and I'm not Tara, you don't get to yell at me and expect me to bow to you." I spat, letting my anger speak for me.

"How do you know the Aztecs? You one of their old ladies?" He asked, jumping to conclusions. I scoffed and shook my head.

"That's the only way women can being connected to anyone isn't it? You're either an old lady or trying to be one. You can't bring anything other than your pussy to the table." I snapped.

"Well, you are a stripper. I don't see what else you could have done to get in with them." Jax shot off. I felt the urge to slap him across the face, but I knew it wouldn't do anyone any good.

"I'm not a stripper anymore and I wasn't a stripper in Oakland." I said, digging my keys out of my purse.

"Happy wants you to stay here until he gets back tomorrow." Jax said lightly. I could tell he felt at least some guilt in saying those things to me but he was to egotistical to apologize.

I held up a key to his dorm room before storming off in that general direction. My anxiety attack, Jax's verbal attack and Alonzo's physical attack had drained me of any energy I had. I considered myself to be a strong person, but even I had limits. So, after taking a shower and happily using Happy's body wash, I climbed into his bed and went to sleep quickly.

 **A/N: I don't really plan on having Jax be an asshole in this story, he just came off that way during this interaction. He does have a lot going on with the cartel in the background so let's cut him some slack for what he said to Jaden, although I'm not so sure Happy will or not 8) Anything you'd like to see in the upcoming chapters (besides Juice's reaction to the baby news, we'll get there I promise)**


	15. Chapter 15

"Jaden, wake up baby." I heard Happy say as he ran his hand down my arm. I groaned and blinked my eyes open, looking up at him with a weak smile. He sighed and kissed my forehead. "I'm going to kill them."

"They sent a message, Hap. I won't go into Oakland without you, okay? Don't risk anything by going after them. I need you more than I need you to get revenge." I said as his hand hovered over my cut up cheek. He sighed and kissed my lips carefully.

"You're still beautiful, J." His compliment made me smile. I was going to ask him to get into bed with me until there was a knock at the door. He rolled his eyes and called for the intruder to come in. Barbie walked in with a smile and a muffin in her hand.

"I have a get well soon present! I'm so sorry, Jaden. We would have just gone to your place if I would have known he'd do that." I gave her a pointed look and shook my head. Happy narrowed his eyes and looked from me to Barbie.

"Who did what?" He growled, standing up and looking Barbie in the eyes. I shook my head, hoping Barbie wouldn't say anything. Instead, she put her hands on her hips and squared herself off to him.

"Your president jumped on my girl's ass like she did something wrong. Just because he's at the head of the cool kid table doesn't mean he gets to call Jaden a stripper like that's all she's good for. Blaming her for starting some war just by taking me to a doctor's appointment? Fuck that." Barbie was in rare form and I honestly never expected her to stand up to Happy like that. His eyes darkened in a flash before he stormed out of the room.

"I just tossed some shit into a fan, didn't I?" Barbie asked. I laughed sadly and nodded.

"Yeah, pretty much. It's fine, I guess." I said, climbing out of bed slowly. I stepped into a pair of gym shorts and headed out to the main room where I could hear Happy's angry voice booming from.

"You got a problem with Jaden, you come to me. She's my old lady, not some croweater." I caught the tail end of Happy's rant and saw Jax nodding in agreement. I frowned and messed with the bottom of my shirt. I hated feeling like I was coming in between Happy and Jax, even if the latter was an ass last night.

"I hear you, alright, killer?" Jax said, grabbing Happy's shoulder. Happy still looked poised to jump on him but nodded all the same.

"Yeah, okay." He growled. I watched them exchange a hug and saw how Happy relaxed a little after that. I was still hurt by what Jax had said but I wasn't going to dwell on it. I just wanted to get BJ's open and get back to some type of normalcy. "Come on, J."

"Where are we going?" I asked, letting him take my hand. He opened the door for me before he answered.

"We're getting something on you that shows you're mine." I stopped dead in my tracks and looked up at him. He paused and raised his brow. "J, I'm not letting someone else push you around or try to hurt you again."

"Happy, you aren't branding me like cattle. We've been together what, three months? Ink doesn't wash off, Hap." I said, shaking my head. He blinked a couple times and took a deep breath. Part of me wondered if I was being ridiculous. I knew I loved him and I knew getting ink was part of being an old lady, but I wasn't sure if it was for me.

"Then what, J? You want to be an old lady but you don't want it permanently?" Happy asked. I sighed and shook my head. That wasn't what I meant at all.

"Happy, I'm just saying that it doesn't make sense. You brand me forever so that if anything happens you're scott free and I carry that with me forever?" I said, realizing after I spoke that my editing didn't sound much better.

"Time doesn't mean shit, J. I love you. It makes about as much sense as you loving me but here we are. If that's what you're worried about then I'll ink your name on me, J. I'm in this for good." He said, sounding more like some love sick teenager than a hardened criminal. I felt butterflies dancing around in my stomach and my heart started racing.

"Okay, Hap." I said, knowing that I was being impulsive. It was something I never did. Normally I thought three and four steps ahead but when it came to loving Happy, I was all in. He nodded and headed back to his bike like he had originally planned. I took my helmet with an incredulous laugh.

He stopped at the same tattoo shop that we'd gone to when he'd inked my enso recently. This time, there were other people inside. They nodded to him silently as they continued their work. Happy cracked his neck and looked over at me.

"Where are you putting it?" I asked to break the tension. He raised his brow and smirked. "Mine, I mean."

"Your wrist. I don't have much blank space, so you're name is going here." He traced his finger along the side of his neck. I blinked and looked him in the eye. "What? You think I was kidding?"

"No, it's just, it's not something you can really hide." I said, hoping not to offend him. He laughed and kissed the top of my head.

"Wouldn't want to if I could." He said with a shrug. I felt a buzzing in my veins and looked over the art on the walls anxiously. Happy stepped over to the station that he'd used and talked to the artist there. The man was finishing up with his client and gave Happy several nods and grins.

"Tim is going to do mine first so he can head out." Happy explained as I walked over to the two, heavily inked men and laced my fingers in with his. I nodded and took his kutte from him. Tim and Happy talked shop as my name was tattooed on to the right side of his neck in an elegant, black script.

"You ready, babe?" Happy asked as Tim packed up this things. I bit my bottom lip before letting it slide back out and into a smile. He smirked and brought his eyes up from my lips to my eyes. I nodded.

"Yep. My name has a y in it though." I teased with a wink. He narrowed his eyes at me until I cracked and started laughing. "I'm sorry, I couldn't resist."

He started drawing my tattoo directly on my skin with a permanent marker. Instead of the crow that I saw every other old lady with, he was sketching a branch that wrapped completely around my wrist and the profile of a crow perched on the branch on the the underside of my wrist. He kissed my lips before starting with the tattoo machine.

"You could have told me this was going to hurt." I groaned as I felt like the needles were going straight into my bones. He paused and set his machine down.

"Stop whining, I just had my neck done." He said before kissing me deeply. The woman at the other station started giggling as the kiss started straying from PG to PG-13 and beyond. When he pulled back, I had completely forgotten about the pain. He smirked and got back to work.

It took just over and hour for him to finish the tattoo with a few breaks for making out to forget the pain. Not only did I have a beautiful tattoo that I was proud of in the end, I was also needing him desperately. He seemed to know what he'd done because his eyes were glowing with a mischievous pride.

"Jaden, keep doing that and we're not going to make it back to your place." Happy growled as we stopped at a traffic light. I traced my nails over his lower stomach again, calling his bluff. He shook his head and revved the bike up, running the red light and pushing his bike towards Lodi. I quit teasing him so I could hold on tight.

He had his hand wrapped around me and working on the button and zipper of my jeans as I unlocked the front door. His lips were on my ear and neck and I could hardly master the fine motor skills to turn the key in the lock. He slid his hand down and found my split as I gave up on the door. He didn't seem to mind and shoved my back against the door as soon as I turned around.

"Ha-appy, babe, I—I—have neighbors." I eventually managed as he moved his mouth from mine back to my neck. He grunted in acknowledgement of my warning and opened the door with his free hand, shoving me inside quickly. I whimpered, wishing he'd let me find my release,

"Not yet, J." He whispered roughly. I moaned and pulled his lips to mine, hoping to find comfort there. He bit my bottom hard before picking me up and carrying me over to my bed.

"Son of a bitch." I groaned as someone knocked heavily on my front door. Happy pulled on a pair of sweatpants and walked towards the door as I ducked into the bathroom to get cleaned up and dressed. "At least we finished round two." I giggled to myself as I pulled a tank top over my head. I pulled my hair up into a messy bun and stepped into a pair of yoga shorts before walking out to see who was at the door.

I stopped in my tracks when I saw Happy leaning on the door frame and an officer standing outside. I twisted my mouth and walked up, sliding myself underneath Happy's arm. The officer raised his brow at me.

"Are you the resident here?" The officer asked. I hitched my shoulder and smiled sweetly.

"The door was open so we just came in." I paused and realized the officer wasn't going to laugh. "Yeah, I've lived here for the past two years. Jaden Conner."

"Ms. Conner, we received a call from one of your neighbors concerning a disorder or assault. The party reported screams and banging coming from this apartment." The officer said, not looking amused. I laughed and leaned into Happy.

"Yeah, well, there was screaming and banging but it was consensual, I promise." I said with a laugh. The officer raised his brow and I rolled my eyes. "Sex? Fucking? I'll try to keep it down next time."

"Ms. Conner, do you mind stepping out for a moment. I'd like to talk to you." The officer said. My sense of humor evaporated and I narrowed my eyes.

"I do mind, actually. He's never hurt me and if he did, I'd be the one to call you." I snapped, ready for the officer to leave. Happy dropped his hand to my lower back and gently squeezed my hip, telling me to keep calm.

"Keep it down or we'll have to issue a sound violation." The officer said. I scoffed and nodded with an obvious attitude. The officer and Happy and a mini-stare off before he finally left to return to his car. Happy was laughing as soon as the door closed.

"Told you to be quiet." Happy teased. I rolled my eyes and hit his chest with the back of my hand. "Ow, J."

"Oh, you are such a baby. That didn't hurt." I said, shoving him playfully. He shrugged his shoulders and waited until I turned around to pop my ass with his hand.


	16. Chapter 16

We were getting closer and closer to the opening night of BJ's and my stress was higher than it had been in a long time. Barbie still hadn't told Juice about the pregnancy, saying that there was just too much going on with both the club and our new business venture. I wondered if part of it wasn't some fear of how he would react. I rubbed my eyes, exhausted from sitting and watching dress rehearsals of a big group routine that Barbie had dreamed up for opening night.

"So, you're boyfriend, does he have any hot friends?" Hannah asked as she took a break and dangled her legs off the stage. I raised my brow and looked up at her. She smiled brightly and seemed to be eagerly awaiting my answer.

"Uh, yeah but most of them are married or with somebody." I said, racking my brain for who in the club was single. Hannah laughed and shook her head as she took a drink of water.

"I'm just looking for a good time, sweetie. Single or not, not my problem." I rolled my eyes and made a mental note to watch her around the guys. Barbie walked in through the front door with a big smile, which was the perfect excuse for me to leave the conversation with Hannah.

"Everything good?" I asked. She'd taken a long lunch to go to her new doctor in Lodi, too fearful of going back to Oakland. She nodded and showed me a sonogram picture. Without the arrow pointing to the bean looking shape, I wouldn't have known what I was looking for. "So, when are you going to tell him?"

"Sunday over dinner. I'm making his favorite lasagna and I'm putting this in a frame to give to him. I couldn't think of any other creative way to tell him." She shrugged and put the picture back in the envelope for safe keeping. I shook my head and squeezed her hand.

"It doesn't have to be elaborate, doll. What you're doing is sweet." I was being honest. She'd gone through lists and lists of ideas on how to tell him and I was glad to see she was keeping it simple and sweet. She nodded and I could see the glow in her cheeks.

"Anyways, change the subject or I'm going to cry. How's rehearsal going?" She asked, looking at everyone milling around during their break. I filled her in on the near accident with Hannah and Serenity, which didn't seem to surprise her. Serenity was getting better but she wasn't quite there yet.

"Besides that and Hannah wanting to fuck a Son, everything is peachy. Seriously, if she comes near Happy she's not only fired, she's getting her face rearranged to." I said as the red head stood up and started stretching. Barbie laughed and nodded in agreement.

"I don't think anyone would be dumb enough to try that, J. Most of them are afraid of him and they're all afraid of you." She said. I smiled proudly and she rolled her eyes. "Okay, ladies, run through it one more time and you all can call it a day."

I sat down in my director's style chair and watched our ten dancers go through the routine that Barbie had concocted. The stage was large, spanning almost the entire width of the building and multiple levels and poles. It was quite an upgrade from Diamonds and Lace and reminded me of Vegas.

"Tiki! Watch your timing." Barbie directed as she moved around the stage. I was surprised to see how far she herself had come since we'd met on her first day. The song ended and Barbie nodded her approval. "Okay, it's looking good. Everyone make sure to be here at five tomorrow for the photographer. If you need help with hair and make-up, be here by no later than three."

We'd decided on buying some advertising space in a couple, local magazines and were also going to make some flyers and business card to get the word out as well. Jax had already spread the word to the clubs nearby and we were sure they would be in attendance on opening night along with regular guests. Just thinking about opening night gave me jitters.

"Jaden! Your sexy man is here!" Hannah called out with a giggle. I stepped out of the office to see him give her a glare as he walked past. He kissed me on the mouth and she whistled.

"She always that annoying?" He growled, following me into the office. I nodded and closed the door with my foot. "Tacoma charter is planning on sending a few guys down for the opening."

"Okay, so I should plan on ordering more alcohol?" Barbie asked with a laugh. Happy smirked and hitched his shoulder as he sat down on the couch in the corner. He'd just gotten back from a run up to Tacoma, so I knew he had to be tired.

"We're almost done. Everything go okay?" I asked, looking up from my computer. He nodded and pushed his toothpick to the other side of his mouth.

"Not bad, just long." He said, confirming my assumption that he was tired. I'd talked to him earlier and tried to tell him he didn't have to come down, but he insisted.

"Does Juice have any runs or anything on Sunday?" Barbie asked, trying to sound casual. She knew Happy knew about her pregnancy, but she didn't like to talk much about it when he was around. Happy shook his head.

"Finally going to tell him?" He asked, not beating around the bush. Her cheeks reddened a little and she nodded. "It's about time."

"Yeah, I know." Barbie said, sliding her chair back in front of her computer to avoid the conversation. Happy shrugged his shoulders when he noticed the look I was giving him. "Well, I'm done. You ready to go, J?"

"Yep. Let's roll." I said with a smile. Happy rolled his eyes and followed me out of the office. I finally had my car back after getting my windows re-tinted and driving Happy's truck for almost a week. He was smiling suspiciously as I pressed the button to unlock the doors. I narrowed my eyes at him. "What did you do?"

"Something you're going to bitch about." He said with a shrug. I sighed and opened my car door to find a set of keys on my seat. I picked them up and looked back at him.

"Happy." I growled. He chuckled and walked off to his bike without a word. I grumbled under my breath, calling him all sorts of creative names, only meaning half of them. He started his bike and rolled over to me as I started my car. "Yeah, yeah, I'll follow you."

He nodded and took off, back towards Charming. I knew by the shape of the keys that they were to a house or apartment and wondered what he'd done. We'd agreed that I would start looking for apartments towards the end of the month. Obviously, he hadn't stuck to that agreement. When he pulled up to a house, my blood started boiling.

"Before you flip out, it's not your place, it's mine." He said with a grin. I closed my car door and dangled the key ring from my index finger. "What? That was me asking if you'd live with me." He said, pulling me over to him and kissing my lips softly.

"You are in so much trouble, Happy Lowman." I said as he gently pushed me towards the house. As upset as I was about him going ahead and getting a place without checking with me or asking my opinion, his excitement was contagious. I giggled when he covered my eyes with his hand. "Come on, baby."

When he dropped his hand from my eyes, I was not only in the living room, but I was face to face with a black and white puppy who was staring up at me. My jaw dropped and I lowered myself down to the hardwood floor. The puppy bounded over to me, struggling to get traction on the wood floors. Happy squatted down next to me and laughed.

"She's a great dane, so I figured she'd need somewhere with a yard." Happy said with a smile. The puppy was licking me excitedly and I hugged her to me. I'd never had a dog or cat before.

"She's so cute! I can't even be mad at you." I said, wiping my face off with his bandana. He shook his head when I tried to pass it back to him. "What's her name?"

"Doesn't have one yet. What do you want to name her?" He asked, pulling me into his lap and kissing my shoulder. The puppy grabbed on to his pants leg and growled, tugging with all of her might.

"Millie." I said with a nod. The puppy cocked her head, still not letting loose of his jeans. Happy nodded and shook his boot, only succeeding in getting Millie to play harder. I turned around to face him and kissed him. He tangled his hands into my hair as the kiss deepened.

"Let me put her outside." He said. I nodded and let him up. Millie darted after him as he walked towards the kitchen where a glass door led out to a fenced back yard. I took the opportunity to look around the house as he struggled to get her to stay outside.

I followed a short hallway and found two bedrooms and a half bath. I chose the larger room and walked inside to find an attached bathroom with a clawfoot tub, shower, double sink and toilet. I already planned a bubblebath in the tub with a row of candles on the window sill above it.

"There you are." Happy growled, wrapping his arms around me from behind. I nodded and turned to face him. "You're doing that happy crying thing, aren't you?"

"Yeah, sorry." I said with a chuckle. He shook his head and kissed me quiet. I wrapped my hands around his neck and deepened the kiss, picking up where we'd left off in the living room. He led me back into the bedroom where a lone mattress was laying in the middle of the floor.

"I love you."" Happy said softly as he slowly made me come undone. It was one of the few times we'd ever taken it slow and gently. I was hyper-aware of every touch and feeling as we, for lack of a better term, made love. We rarely said I love you, but that only made it more special when we did.

"I love you, Happy." I moaned. Moments later, we found our releases and kissed deeply as we rode it out. He smoothed my hair and rested his forehead on mine as he recovered.

"Where are you going?" I asked as I played with Millie in the living room. He'd taken a phone call as he got dressed and I dreaded him saying he had to go take care of something. It wasn't that I needed him with me at all times, I just worried about him getting hurt or in trouble.

"Shit's going on at the warehouse. I'll be back in a little while." He said, pulling his kutte on. I nodded and stood to tell him goodbye, picking up the puppy in my right arm. Happy laughed and pet her head before kissing me. "There's food and toys for the furball in the cabinet under the sink. I'll let you know when I'm headed back here."

"Do we have sheets or anything?" I asked as he opened the door. He nodded and pointed towards the garage. I nodded, figuring I could handle finding them. He paused and kissed me one more time before walking briskly to his bike.

I ended up ordering a pizza a couple hours after Happy left for the warehouse. I'd found his truck parked in the garage with a set of white sheets and a couple pillows in the cab along with a duffle bag with some clothes and toiletries in it. After I made the bed,I realized I didn't have anything else to do after that. So, I just sat on the back porch with a joint as the puppy napped and I waited for the pizza.

"Hey, what are you doing?" I asked Barbie, hoping I hadn't interrupted her. She sighed and I knew then that Juice had been called away to.

"Sitting here looking at business card designs. What are you doing?" She asked. I smiled and looked down at the puppy.

"Sitting on the back porch of Happy and I's new place with our puppy in my lap." I said, unable to keep from smiling. She squealed and I could hear her clapping.

"Where are you? I want to see the baby and the house!" She demanded. I smiled and gave her the address, knowing it was less than ten minutes away from where she stayed when she was in Charming with Juice. "Don't move!"

"You're crazy god-aunt is coming over. Consider yourself warned." I told Millie as she looked at me and yawned. The doorbell went off not a moment later and it woke her right up. She ran towards the door, barking and howling loudly. "Sorry! Give me a minute."

"Veggie pizza?" The young boy asked as I opened the door, stooped over to hold Millie back by her collar. I nodded and handed over fifteen dollars, letting him keep the change out of pure convenience. "Thank you!"

"Yeah, no problem." I said closing the door with my toe. Millie shook her head and ruffed, seemingly proud of herself for getting rid of the man at the door. I rolled my eyes and headed into the kitchen, happy to find beer and bottled water in the refrigerator.

Millie sat right at my feet until she heard a car pull into the driveway, then she started barking and howling again. I shh'd her and looked out the window to see Barbie hurrying towards the door. I held Millie back with my foot and opened the door with a full mouth.

"Welcome to our humble abode." I joked, letting her inside. She squealed and went straight for Millie. I hmmph'd and closed the door, taking care to lock it. "I guess I'm just chopped liver."

"No, if you were the puppy would probably eat you? Wouldn't you, cutie pie?" Barbie asked, squishing Millie's face playfully. I laughed and sat down on the floor next to them. "She's so cute!"

"Yeah, she is. Happy shocked me. First the house, then she was sitting in here. It was adorable." I said with a warm feeling in my stomach. It happened sometimes when I thought about him.

"He's a sweetheart." Barbie said, looking over at me with a smile. I rolled my eyes and nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You were right. Are you happy now?" I asked with a laugh. She grinned and nodded. We sat in the living room floor with the puppy, chatting about Juice, Happy, the baby and BJ's. After about an hour, we heard the unmistakable sound of a motorcycle pulling into the driveway.

Happy threw the door open and walked through the living room and down the hall without a word. I thought I caught a glimpse of blood on his white shirt as he walked by. Barbie twisted her mouth as she rose to her feet.

"I'll see you tomorrow." She said giving me a hug. I nodded, mouthing a silent sorry to which she shook her head. I watched her get into her car and back safely out of the driveway before heading into our bedroom.

"Hap? Everything okay?" I said, opening the bathroom door to hear the shower running. I saw his discarded shirt on the floor and saw there was in fact blood on it and his jeans. I swallowed hard and climbed onto the vanity, sitting and waiting on him to answer or finish his shower.

"It's handled." He said, stepping out of the shower and grabbing a towel out of the black duffle bag. I watched him dry off, giving him time to elaborate before risking more questions. Instead of talking, he walked over and picked me up off the counter. "I don't want to talk about it, J."

"Okay, babe." I nodded and let him push my back against the bathroom door as he undid my jeans. It wasn't exactly the healthiest way of dealing with problems but I knew that the sooner he fucked me, the sooner he'd talk.


	17. Chapter 17

Happy was already awake when I woke up the next morning. After rougher than normal fucking and talking over a joint and some beers, we'd gone to bed just as the sun started to rise. I rolled over and put my hand on his cheek carefully. He turned his face and kissed my palm.

"You haven't slept, have you?" I asked, fairly confident that I was right. He shook his head and rolled over on his back."You didn't kill him, Happy. Juice did."

"I know, J. That's the fucking problem. I was supposed to get answers, right answers. Miles completely blindsided me. Juice could have gotten his ass killed because I didn't do my job." Happy said, opening up more than he had at any point last night. He'd given me the straight facts, but this was the first I heard of why it bothered him.

"He didn't though. You can't be perfect, Happy. You did your best." I said, tracing my fingers over the snake tattoo on his chest. He sighed and closed his eyes.

"J, my best would have been getting the answers, no matter what it took. I know how to get answers, babe. I just didn't do my fucking job. I was fucking soft." He growled, getting out of bed. I frowned and watched him as he walked into the bathroom. I didn't know what to say. It wasn't something I was torn on. On one hand, I understood why he couldn't be soft but on the other hand, I was starting to wonder what all the torture and killing was doing to him.

I climbed out of bed and headed into the shower, not saying anything to Happy who was shaving at the sink. As I was washing my hair, he opened the glass door and stepped into the shower with me. He tapped my hip, motioning for me to let him get under the water. I obliged him and scratched my scalp with my nails. I was still sore from the night before and hoped he wasn't looking for another hard fuck.

"Without you, I wouldn't have any fucking humanity, Jaden." Happy said with his back to me. The water was cascading down his back and his head was resting on his forearms that were folded on the tile shower wall. I sighed and dropped my hands from my hair.

"Happy, I'm not going anywhere. You do what you have to do for the club. I'll be right here for you." I said, feeling vulnerable. Happy turned around and searched my eyes with his before he nodded, kissing my lips gently. I gave him a small smile and switched places with him so I could get the shampoo out of my hair.

"Are you taking Millie with you or do I need to come by and feed her on lunch?" He asked, signaling that he was ready to move on from the subject. I shook my head and squeezed the excess water out of my hair.

"We've got that photo shoot, so I'm going to be busy." I said, wishing I could take her with me. He nodded and rinsed his body wash off before stepping out of the shower. I hurried to finish shaving so I could get ready and meet Barbie at BJ's by two. "Is Jax still going to send somebody down today?"

"Yeah, it won't be a prospect though. I don't trust them right now." He said. Jax had planned on sending someone down since we'd had to give our security the day off. I wasn't surprised that we'd be getting a patched member after what happened last night.

"Okay, babe." I said, working some mousse through my hair. Millie bounded into the bathroom, finally having heard us moving around. She barked and ran circles around Happy's feet excitedly. He smiled and scratched her at the base of her tail.

"You hungry, girl?" He asked, walking out of the bathroom before putting his shirt on. I started on my make-up, thankful that he'd thought to grab the small bag I kept on the sink. When I was ready, I found Happy and Millie playing fetch in the back yard.

"I've got to head out. I'll see you tonight." I said before giving Happy a kiss. He popped my ass playfully as I walked away. I couldn't help but smile.

"Jesus Christ, are you kidding me?" I asked, ready to pull my hair out. Barbie ran her nails over her forehead and shook her head. Tiki had just told us she had to fly home to Chicago because her mother had a heart attack. She was one of the main parts of the extravagant routine everyone had been working so hard on. "Who do you want to replace her with?"

"I can't just replace her. It would make everything asymmetrical and throw off their places." Barbie said, flipping her lid. "I mean, I'm not showing yet. I could do it."

"Negative, baby mama. You're not risking getting hurt. Her part had way too many inverted moves." I said, shaking my head. One wrong move and Barbie could seriously hurt herself or the baby. "We can just edit the choreography. Don't replace her, just take out another girl. They can serve drinks and it'll keep the routine symmetrical."

"Or you could just do it. I mean, if you're able to." Hannah said, chewing her gum sloppily. I narrowed my eyes at her. Not only had she just butted into our conversation, but she was challenging me to. Barbie shook her head.

"No way, Jaden. Happy would flip his shit." Barbie was right. Happy and I agreed that I wouldn't strip anymore and that was before most of they charters in Northern California to Washington had planned on coming to BJ's. I was about to reassure her when Hannah laughed.

"Seriously? I thought you were independent." She made air quotation marks with her fingers and rolled her eyes. I ground my teeth together and resisted the urge to smack her smirk off her face. "So either you can't dance or you let your man call all the shots, which is it?"

"Hannah, you're serving Friday." Barbie snapped before I could answer. Hannah's jaw dropped and she started to object. "Keep talking and you won't be on stage for a week."

I walked to unlock the door for the photographer, glad to have a reason to walk away. Her words about Happy calling shots for me cut deep. Of course I could do the routine, I could dance circles around her. My agreement with Happy was mutual though. He wasn't telling me what to do, he just asked me not to dance since I was his old lady. It wasn't some outrageous request.

"Don't let that bitch get under your skin, J." Barbie said as I walked over to her. The photographer was setting up his equipment and my mind was still reeling.

"I'm not." I said, wondering if I was lying. I wasn't trying to let what she said bother me, but it was just about the most sensitive button I had. Barbie waved towards the door and I turned to see Juice and Happy walking inside. I smiled and welcomed his kiss as he greeted me. "I didn't know you were coming down."

"Yeah, I finished shit at the garage early and didn't want knuckle head to have all the fun." He gave me a wink and I rolled my eyes. I knew he was kidding but my mood didn't leave much room for humor.

"Come on, Jaden, you're not going to at least ask permission?" Hannah asked as she walked by. I clinched my jaws and balled my fists, longing to smash her head into the stage floor. Happy caught my wrist as I turned to storm after her.

"What's she talking about?" Happy asked. I twisted my mouth, torn on how to answer. If I told him the truth, he'd say no about me dancing and then I'd question whether or not Hannah was right. If I lied or avoided the question, it would be the first time I was dishonest Happy and he'd know I was lying and be pissed.

"Tiki isn't going to be in town for the opening and Barbie and I were trying to figure out what to do about the routine they've been working on. We decided to pull Hannah to keep it symmetrical but she was trying to get me to dance instead." I explained, leaving out the part about her bitchy comments. Happy nodded and Juice raised his brow.

"Why doesn't Barbie just do it?" He asked. I opened my mouth and closed it again sharply. Happy shook his head.

"You want your ol' lady stripping in front of your brothers?" Happy asked, not hiding his distaste for the idea. Juice shrugged his shoulders.

"She still goes home with me. If it's for the bar, it's for the bar." Juice said simply. I swallowed hard, not completely disagreeing with him.

"We've got to be on the floor. We have vendors and everybody coming on Friday." I said, reminding myself of the same thing. I couldn't just come out and say that it was too dangerous for her without ruining everything. Happy nodded as Barbie came over.

"They're about to start." She said with a smile. Happy and Juice started talking about real tits versus fake tits as Barbie and I focused on the photographs and the girls. Hannah made a point to wink towards Happy and Juice as she posed topless. I rolled my eyes and reveled in the fact that Happy didn't even like fake boobs and Hannah's were definitely that.

The photographer seemed to take forever and it was nearly eleven before it was all said and done. Happy and Juice had gotten bored and eventually settled on playing pool in the office. It had been put in the office more for the guys then us anyways.

"Okay, we're closed tomorrow so everybody get some rest and be ready for opening night Friday. If you need waxing, do it tomorrow, not Friday." Barbie said, speaking from experience. I smirked and waved at Esai as he opened the door for Serenity. He nodded and flashed me a smile.

"Are you ready, Happy?" I asked with a yawn. He put the pool cue up and nodded, wrapping his arm around my shoulders as we followed Juice and Barbie towards the door. It was a fairly warm night, so I decided to drive with the windows down, enjoying the sound my exhaust and Happy's bike made together.

"Hey, baby girl!" I said, scooping Millie up as Happy and I walked inside from the garage. She barked happily and licked at my face. "Hap, when are we going to have time to move stuff in here?"

"Next week some time. I can send Rat to Lodi with you tomorrow if you need stuff. I've got to go down to Oakland with the club." He said, pouring some food into Millie's bowl. I swallowed hard. It wasn't the first time he'd been to Oakland since my run in with Alonzo and Martinez, but every time he went I got anxious.

"Yeah, I need work clothes. I'm bartending until we can get some of the girls fully trained." I said, grabbing us each a beer out of the fridge. He nodded and popped the caps off with his ring before I could even get the bottle opener out of the drawer. I laughed and tossed the caps into the trash.

"Do you want to dance, J?" Happy asked as we walked onto the back porch. I took a drink to give me more time to think about my answer.

"I want to dance to save Barbie's big show but I understand why you don't want me to. Hell, I've enjoyed not having to worry about being on stage." I said, finishing with a deep breath. Happy nodded and looked over at me.

"Jaden, do what you want, baby. If blondie worked that hard on it and you not dancing will ruin it, then do it." He said, his voice even more gravelly than normal. I set my beer on the railing and ran my nails up his back and kissed his neck, right over the tattoo of my name. He turned around and grabbed me up, pushing my legs so I wrapped them around his waist. "Are you trying to start something, J?"

"If by something you mean giving my man attention, then yes." I said, raking my nails back over his scalp. He growled and kissed my neck. "I'm not dancing, Hap."

In that moment, I made the decision, not for him but for us. I knew that he would never force me not to dance, but knowing that he would be okay with me doing if, if it was what I really wanted, made me realize something else. I realized that I loved him too much to do something that made him uncomfortable. I also realized that I wanted to make him happy because that made me happy to.

"Okay." He said nonchalantly. I felt him relax and smiled, knowing I'd made the right decision. He grinned before kissing me and walking inside, Millie following right on his heels. I giggled as he took care not to hit my head on the doorframe.

When I woke up, Happy was already gone. Instead of his head on the pillow next to me, he'd left an envelope. I raised my brow and sat up in bed, careful not to disturb Millie who was sleeping at my feet. Inside the envelope was a few hundred dollar bills and a note in Happy's hand writing.

Jaden,

Take the money and go get massages or whatever it is you and blondie want to do to relax. You've both been working hard on the club and need to breathe. Rat will follow your car, but just pretend he's not there. I love you.

He signed it with a smiley face and I covered my mouth to hide my goofy grin. It was just another sweet thing he'd done for me recently, and I wondered how I could possibly be any luckier. I called Barbie and let Millie crawl up and cuddle against me.

"Get dressed, doll. I'm going to be there to pick you up in an hour. We're having a girls' day." I said, scratching Millie's head. Barbie didn't object and promised she'd be ready when I got there. So, I showered and got ready quickly before grabbing Millie's leash and heading out of the door. I stopped my car at the end of the driveway and rolled my window down.

"Are you good with dogs?" I asked Rat. He seemed a little surprised but nodded. "Good, you get to watch the puppy while were inside the salon."

I didn't wait for him to respond and pulled off in the direction of Juice's house. Normally, Barbie would come out to meet me in the driveway, but when I pulled in she was no where to be seen. I directed Millie not to eat my seats or steering wheel as I got out to go check on my best friend.

"Hey! What are you doing?" I said, walking into Juice's room. She was in the closet huffing and puffing. She stepped out in a pair of jeans and slapped her legs, full of frustration.

"Nothing fits right!" She practically screamed. I bit my bottom lip to try and keep from laughing. She narrowed her eyes at me and looked down at her waistband.

"You're pregnant, silly. You can't not gain weight." I said, grabbing a shirt for her. "Come on, we've got salon appointments and then we'll go get you some clothes."

"You said salon?" She asked, her tune changing dramatically. I laughed and grabbed her hand, pulling her out of the house behind me. Millie had her head sticking out of the passenger's window, having a hard time waiting for us to get in the car. "Hey sista. You like car rides?"

"Happy said she did so if she pukes on you, it's his fault." I said with a laugh. I handed her the letter that Happy had left for me.

"Awww, he's such a softie under all those tattoos and grumpy expressions. He knows my name, right?" She joked. I laughed and nodded. His nickname for her had started at a party one night when he told her he used to take the heads off of Barbies in elementary school. Ever since then, he called her blondie instead, promising not to rip her head off.

"You better not get married before I lose my baby weight." She threatened. I laughed and shook my head, not ready to take that leap yet. Rat parked his bike next to my car and took Millie's leash hesitantly.

"She's Happy's to, so I suggest you don't lose her." I said as he started walking towards a shade tree. "Rat, seriously."

"I got it, Jaden." He said with a laugh. I smiled and opened the door for Barbie. Rat was one of my favorite prospects, but I had to give him a hard time now and then.

 **A/N: We're getting close to the opening! I'm excited lol Thank you all so much for the reviews. To the guest that said they weren't reading anymore because I have a history of killing Happy and dogs, I'm sorry, doll. This is a different story all together and I can assure you that both Happy and Millie are safe :)**


	18. Chapter 18

"I think you should get some sleep." He said, pulling his shirts over his head. I ignored his comment and scratched my scalp. "I like your hair."

"Thank you, baby." I said, closing the laptop and crawling to the edge of the mattress where he was seated, taking his socks off. I'd gotten some highlights and added some layers to my hair, but I never really thought he would notice. "Thank you for the compliment and the money for today."

"My money is your money, J." He said as I kissed his shoulder. He smelled like sweat and tasted salty, but it only turned me on more. "I need to take a shower."

"Nope, not before I get in your pants. I've always had a fantasy about a sweaty biker with tattoos and a big dick." I whispered in his ear. He laughed and let me straddle him, moving his hands down to my ass as I did so. "You think you can wait on your shower so I can live out my fantasy?"

"I guess." He smirked and yanked me closer. I bit my bottom lip and laced my fingers behind his head. "What else happened in your fantasy, J?"

"Well, some of this," I kissed him hard, grinding my center over his jeans. I could feel just how ready he was and it only made me want him more. "Then he'd pull my hair a little, get a little rough, ya know. Then he'd make me beg for him before making me cum with his big dick."

"Like this?" He wrapped his hand in my hair and pulled down on it so I let my head fall back and exposed my neck to him. I moaned as he licked and nipped at my jaw line and then my neck.

"Mhmm, like that." I said as one of his hands that had been cupping my ass moved up to my bra. He ran his thumb over the fabric, teasing my nipple.

"Where'd you get this?" He asked. I blinked and looked at him curiously.

"Gianna's, why?" It's where I bought most of my lingerie but he'd never asked me about it before. He nodded without answering right away. Instead, he directed me off of his lap and onto the bed. He hovered over me and spread my legs apart with his knee.

"Just making sure you can get another one if you want it." I opened my mouth to ask what he meant, but he shook his head. "Do you trust me, Jaden?"

"You know I do, Happy." I said, searching his eyes. He nodded and kissed my lips. He ran a hand down my neck, between my breasts, along my stomach, and then it disappeared. He took my mind off it by further claiming my mouth with his tongue. I moaned and closed my eyes, losing myself in the feel and taste of his kiss. I heard a snap and then felt something cold on my breast. "Hap?"

"Would I hurt you, J?" He asked as I stared at his knife blade that was lying flat against my skin. I shook my head, knowing he wouldn't. Never the less, he had his extremely large and extremely sharp knife on my chest. He nodded and kissed me again. "Stay still, baby girl."

He sat up, one knee on either side of my hips so I couldn't move. He ran his tongue across his lips and moved the knife underneath the crisscrossed straps holding the front of my bra together. I suddenly realized why he wanted to know where I got it. He turn the knife, sharp edge up and applied the slightest amount of force upwards, slicing right through it like it was butter. Being vulnerable normally sent me running, but I felt myself getting warmer and wetter.

He turned the knife to its side again and ran the cold metal over my ringless nipple, sending my back arching down into the mattress reflexively. He shook his head and I bit my bottom lip with a whimper. He pulled the knife away and bent down, sucking my hardened nipple into his mouth. The drastic change in temperature had me whimpering and panting to catch my breath.

"You're so sexy, Jaden." He growled as he moved his mouth over to my other breast. His teeth grabbed on to the ring through my nipple and he gave it a little tug before licking and sucking the peak. I moaned and tilted my head back. The cold metal of his knife returned, this time on my stomach, just above the lace of my thong.

He moved his knees down towards my thighs as he peppered kissed down my abs. I was already at the edge of ecstasy and he hadn't even touched my center yet. He must have known, because instead of giving it any attention, he skipped right over it and sank his teeth into my inner thigh. I hissed and my back almost arched up, but the metal of the knife on my stomach reminded me to stay still. I knew it was going to leave a bite shaped bruise, but it felt to good for me to care.

Happy took the blade from my stomach and traced the back of the blade over the mark he'd just left. I watched him and swallowed hard, completely turned on and barely hanging on to my composure. He brought his eyes up to meet mine and I felt myself getting hotter and hotter. He moved to hover over me again, never breaking eye contact.

I moved to kiss him, but he kept his lips just out of my reach. I moaned and brought a hand up to pull him down towards me, but he caught me by the wrist and slammed it back onto the mattress. He lowered his mouth closer to mine, only to pull it back so that our lips just barely grazed each other. I whimpered and bit my bottom lip. He stopped looking at my lips and set his brown eyes on mine again. I couldn't hold back any more and found myself struggling to breathe as I came undone.

He slammed him mouth down onto mine, only extending my nearly painful orgasm that much longer. I arched my back towards him and felt the knife return to my stomach, just above my practically dripping sex. He pulled back and I caught my breath.

"Please, Happy. I need you." I said, almost in tears. He smirked and kissed me quickly as he made quick work of cutting my thong off me.

"Okay, Jaden." He said, sliding the knife back in the holster on his belt and standing up just long enough to rid himself of his jeans and boxers. I could see a bead of arousal on the tip of his dick and felt my breath catch. "Still want it rough, baby?" I nodded and he smiled.

He put my ankles up on his shoulders and turned his head, nipping my calf before slamming into me. I clawed into the mattress and moaned loudly. Happy grabbed my breast and palmed it roughly as he pulled almost completely out of me and slammed into me again. I felt like everything outside of our mattress disappeared, focusing solely on the feel of our bodies.

"You're so fucking wet, J. You want me that bad?" He asked after putting me on my knees and running his fingers along my slit and pulling at the bar through my clit. I whimpered. "Tell me, Jaden."

"I want you so bad, baby. Please." I begged, wanting him more than I ever thought possible. He bit into the flesh of my right ass cheek and then smacked it as he pulled his mouth away. "Damnit, Happy. Fuck me."

"You think you can tell me what to do, J? You think I want this that much?" He popped his palm against my center and I whimpered. He laughed darkly and moved his hand around to my neck, pulling me up so my ear was at his mouth. "You're right." He whispered before shoving me back down and fucking me into oblivion.

"J?" Happy said about ten minutes after we'd completely lost ourselves in mind blowing orgasms. I turned my head to look at him through hooded eyes. He smiled and kissed my lips gently. "Am I allowed to take a shower now?"

"Yep, fantasy fulfilled." He raised his brow and I laughed. "Don't worry, I have all kinds of fantasies about tattooed bikers with big dicks."

"Just any tattooed biker?" He asked playfully as he climbed off the mattress. I shrugged and twisted my mouth.

"They've got to have my name on their neck, so I think you should be okay." He laughed and tossed me one of his shirts out of the duffle bag.

"Put that on and go to sleep so I don't fuck you again." He said with a grin. I shook my head and pulled it over my head.

"Sorry, big boy, you've got to give me at least twelve hours. I'm wrecked." He laughed and nodded as he walked to the bedroom door to let Millie in before going into the bathroom and starting the shower. Millie hopped up and looked at me quizzically before spinning around and curling into a ball at my feet. "Don't judge me, it's your daddy's fault."

I woke up with Happy's arm protectively wrapped around my waist and Millie lying beside me. My phone was vibrating on the hardwood floor and sun was pouring in through the windows. Happy groaned as I reached to grab my phone. I rubbed my eyes and Barbie's picture came into focus on my screen.

"Hey." I said quietly. I heard her laugh and could almost see her rolling her eyes.

"Hey yourself. It's one o'clock. Are you still going to be able to get here by three?" She asked. I groaned, not realizing that I'd slept through three alarms.

"Yeah, I will. Thanks for calling me." She laughed and reminded me that I was supposed to call her when I woke up. "Sorry, I was up late last night."

"I'm sure. I've got a smoothie for you in the mini-fridge so don't waste time by stopping to get one." She said, knowing me well.

"Okay, thank you, doll." I said before ending the call. Happy kissed the back of my neck and moved his arm so I could get out of bed.

"I'll take care of the dog, J. Just get ready." He grumbled as she barked loudly. I didn't have to be told twice and hurried into the bathroom, starting the shower before using the commode. I didn't have time to waste.

I was drying my hair when Happy walked into the bathroom, fully dressed, kutte and all. I turned the dryer off and looked over at him. He leaned against the counter and reached over, turning the dryer back on.

"I'm just going to the clubhouse when you leave, J." He explained, knowing I was curious. I nodded and went back to my hair. I ran a curling iron through a few sections of it before unplugging everything and grabbing my shopping bag out of the closet. I'd managed to have enough money left from yesterday and bought a new outfit for opening night. "Fuck me." Happy groaned.

"What, you don't like it?" I asked, doing a little spin. I had a black cage style bra underneath a sheer white shirt paired with leather shorts and silver, spiked heels. He stood up straight and kissed me full on the mouth. Had he not known how to kiss me so well, I may have fussed at him for potentially smearing my lipstick.

"No, I like it a fucking lot. It's just been a while since you wore work clothes." He rasped. I smirked and pecked his lips.

"Here I thought it was my natural charming attitude that won you over when we met." I sighed dramatically and he laughed loudly.

"Yeah, you were a real fucking sweetheart. Get out of here before blondie flips her shit." He said, shaking his head and grabbing my side, causing me to jump. He smiled boyishly, knowing that he'd tickled me and knowing how much I hated it. "I'll see you later. Be careful."

"I will, you to." He nodded and walked over to his bike as I got into my car and mashed the button to raise the garage door. He let his bike idle as I backed out out of the driveway and headed towards BJ's for our grand opening.

Barbie was behind the bar when I walked in, pulling the door to and locking it behind me. The girls all had key cards to use the employee entrance in the back, but I knew Barbie had probably left the front door unlocked when she came in earlier.

"You made it with two minutes to spare, I'm proud." She said with a wink. I waved her comment off and dropped my stuff off in the office, pausing to grab my smoothie before heading back to the bar. She spun the tablet around to face me and I scanned the list of our current inventory.

"Should be good until Wednesday at least. Have you tested the sound system?" She shook her head as I sipped my smoothie. "I got it."

"Jaden! You don't look like a house-wife today!" Hannah said with a wink as I tested the volume level with L.L Cool J's "Doin' It." I rolled my eyes and continued turning up the music before turning it back down and then off, satisfied that it was working correctly.

"You do get that I'm your boss, not your coworker, right?" I asked her as she walked over. She laughed and flipped her hair.

"Oh, I know, sweetie. You'd need to polish up on your dancing before you could be my coworker. Then again, your boyfriend wouldn't go for that, would he?" Hannah asked, looking for my nerves already. I set my smoothie down on the table and crossed my arms over my chest.

"The next time you run your mouth about what you think you know about Happy and I, you're going to be behind the bar for a month." I said, fed up with her comments. She laughed and smiled brightly.

"Sorry, honey, I didn't realize you'd be so grumpy today. Not getting any?" Hannah asked. I felt the overwhelming urge to smack her across the face, but instead I laughed.

"Trust me, honey, I get plenty. You wouldn't have a clue how to keep my man happy, but then again, that's probably why you're single." I said with a sarcastic smile. She pouted her bottom lip out before cracking a smile.

"No, no, sweetie. I'm single so I don't have a man trying to keep me from fucking yours." She said sweetly. I laughed and flipped my hair mockingly.

"You could try and try but you're never going to make it happen. He's more than happy with what he's got." I said, picturing myself clawing her eyes out. She patted my arm and nodded.

"If you say so, boss." She walked back towards the dressing room laughing. I turned to look at Barbie who had walked up half way through.

"I'm sure Happy knows somewhere you could bury her stupid ass." She said angrily. I laughed and shook my head.

"I have no doubt. It's fine, the more she talks the less we have to worry about not having enough bar tenders." I said with a shrug. Barbie shook her head and smacked my butt playfully.

"Let's get to work, doll." She said. I nodded, knowing we still had a lot to do. We set up the tables three different ways before settling on the first. After that, we checked on the girls in the dressing room who were a ball of nerves and excitement. Before we knew it, we had an hour before show time.

"Hey, you can start letting people in in about thirty minutes. Anyone in a Son's kutte, let them in as soon as they get here." I told our bouncer Todd. He nodded and opened the door, revealing a few cars and trucks already parked in the lot. Seeing that made my nerves kick into overdrive.

"Okay, everybody, it's almost show time. Once you're done with your individual routine, get on the floor and socialize with the guests. If anyone gives you any problems, tell Todd or one of us." Barbie said as we finished asking questions about the line-up and what rules we had for the private rooms, which were dancing only and no sex of any kind.

"Hannah, go ahead and head out to the bar." I told her with a smirk. She huffed and stomped her heels out to the main room.

Barbie and I shared a smile and a hug in the hallway before heading out to the front of the house. The Charming charter was milling around with several of the Tacoma and Nevada brothers. Happy pulled me over and introduced me to some of the Tacoma men he was talking to.

"So, you're the reason all of our sweet-butts were bitchy last time Hap came up." Ranger, the Tacoma VP said with a laugh. I shrugged and kissed Happy's lips.

"Guilty. I've got to get to work, but I really hope you enjoy yourself. Half priced private dances for any patched members, by the way." Ranger nodded with a smirk and elbowed Happy.

"Not from her, asshole." He said as I walked towards the bar. I smiled to myself, enjoying his jealousy a little. We had ten minutes to show time and we were already crowded with Sons, Mayans, Grim Bastards, and civilians. Barbie talked me into getting on stage to greet everyone, using her weight as an excuse, even though she looked beautiful in her black bandage dress.

"Thank you for coming out for our grand opening." I said, getting everyone's attention. There were several cat calls and whistles that made me laugh. "We've got a special, group show to kick things off in a few minutes. After that, we've got all of our girls dancing separately tonight. So, if you like what you see, don't forget to tip. Welcome to BJ's!" The crowed cheered and clapped as I stepped off the stage. Jax gave me a nod and I flashed him a smile, knowing we couldn't have opened the club without he and SAMCRO.

 **A/N: Sorry to leave you hanging. We'll get to more of the grand opening in the next chapter, which should come tomorrow night or Tuesday night. Let me just say, I love all the feedback I'm getting :) Hope you liked the chapter**


	19. Chapter 19

The lights went dark and the music started up as eight of our ten girls took the stage. For this group performance, they were all in black mesh tops and pleather boy shorts that were cut short in the back, giving everyone I nice preview. Barbie came over to the side of the stage where I was standing and looped her arm through mine.

"We actually did it." I said with a smile. Barbie laughed and nodded with tears in here eyes. After the last few months of hard work and long night, we were finally open. The dance ended and everything seemed to go into overdrive. The crowd seemed to love Barbie's brain child of a routine and drinks started flowing. "I guess I should go help Hannah at the bar."

"Play nice. I'm going to go back stage and make sure everyone has their shit together." She said as we parted ways. I stepped up onto the platform that held our round bar and started slinging drinks with Hannah. Luckily, it was too busy to talk.

"Can I take a break?" Hannah asked as things at the bar slowed down to a manageable pace. I nodded and handed Juice a few bottles of beer for he, Tig and Happy. They were at one of the tables near the stage, clearly enjoying the fruits of our labor.

"Serenity! Good job tonight, sweetie. You have bar tending experience, right?" I asked, pouring a vodka tonic for a man in a dark grey suit. She laughed and stepped behind the bar.

"Only five years. I've got this, you go do owner stuff." I laughed and gave her a quick hug. "Oh and Jaden? Thanks for giving me a chance." I gave her a smile and disappeared into the crowd, hoping to find Barbie.

"Hey, I was looking for you. What made you decide to let Hannah dance?" Barbie asked as I joined her at the dj's station. I blinked a couple times and shook my head.

"I didn't. She went on break. She should be back at the bar in a couple minutes." My eyes narrowed as the lights on stage turned off, signaling the next dancer. "You have to be fucking joking."

When the lights came on, Hannah was strutting onto the stage and Avril's "Girlfriend" blasted through the speakers. She made eye contact with me and gave me a wink before mounting the center pole. Barbie and I shared a glance and I could see the fear in her eyes. Hannah wasn't just dancing, she was sending me a message. I folded my arms over my chest and watched her routine, growing madder by the minute. She stepped off the stage, discarding her top and making her way over to the table where both Juice and Happy sat along with Tig and now Jax.

"Oh, she's so dead. Brian, give her forty-five seconds and cut all the lights. Wait five seconds and then play track twenty-seven and bring up the lights five seconds in." I said, taking the bobby pins out of my hair. Barbie took long strides to keep up with me.

"Jaden, what are you doing? Wait! You're dancing? Jaden!" I didn't hang around to respond and the lights went out, throwing the whole club into darkness. I took a deep breath and climbed the center pole faster than I previously thought possible. The first notes to "Crazy Bitch" filled the club and I let out the breath, waiting for the lights to rise back up. When they did, all eyes were on me and I felt the rush of adrenaline I always got when I danced.

I did some spins and some physically challenging extensions before dropping down and catching myself just inches above the floor. There was a collective intake of breath and I smirked, placing my hand above my ankle and contorting so I was facing the floor. I brought my ass up, parallel with my head and planted my heels on the stage before grinding my chest against it. There were whistles and yells from the crowd as I finished off with some more, basic pole work and dancing. I closed my dance out on Happy's lap, just sitting there innocently and kissing him on the cheek.

"I'm sorry." I whispered when the lights dimmed back down. He shook his head and kissed my lips.

"Don't be, J. You're not naked and you were making a point." He said, smoothing my hair. "Plus, it was really fucking hot." I laughed and kissed him again before Barbie arrived with my sheer top. I stood up and buttoned it while taking everyone's compliments.

"I sent her home and told her that we'd discuss the future of her employment tomorrow." Barbie said as Juice offered her a beer. She shook her head. "I'm working, babe."

I looked down at the beer in my hand and handed it over to Happy. He shook his head but took it and drank from it anyways. I gave him a sly grin before taking Barbie's hand and leading her around to meet and greet with our patrons.

We were chatting with a group of men about a bachelor party when I felt a chill run down my spine. I looked around as casually as possible, only to find Alonzo walking inside. I knew the Aztecs well enough to know that he wouldn't be alone. I felt my chest tighten and excused myself, heading straight to the office. I shook my head and sat in my chair, almost immediately emptying my stomach into the garbage can.

"J? It's me. I'm coming in." I heard Happy's voice but it seemed to be in a distance. A moment later, he was squatting beside me and rubbing my knee. I dry heaved and almost immediately started hyper-ventilating. "Jaden, babe, breathe for me. Slow down. I'm right here. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

I nodded and tried to slow my breathing as he pulled me into his arms. I hadn't had a severe anxiety attack in years and this one was one of the worst I'd ever had. Happy didn't ask me what was wrong or tell me to calm down, which actually helped. It was never a good idea to try and make me talk while I was having an attack. Eventually, I caught my breath and felt my chest starting to loosen up a little.

"You're safe, Jaden. I promise you." Happy said, kissing the top of my head. I nodded and pressed my forehead to the leather of his kutte and waited for my energy to start slowly coming back. He rubbed my back in slow, gentle circles until I pulled back to look at him.

"Hap, they'll kill me the first chance they get. If they know I have anything to do with this place, they'll burn it to the ground." I said, focusing on his eyes to keep me grounded. He shook his head and ran his hand through my hair.

"Jaden, nothing is going to happen to you or this place, okay? You're my ol' lady and the club is part of BJ's. They may be stupid enough to show up here once, but it won't happen again. The last thing they'd want is a war with us right now, okay?" He said, giving me a smile. I wasn't as convinced as he was but I trusted him; apparently with my life.

"I love you, Happy." I said, kissing him deeply. He moved his hand to the back of my neck and held me against him, sliding his tongue against mine. He groaned and pulled back reluctantly.

"J, you've still got a couple hours to close. I'm not leaving until you do. If they're still here, then just stay away from them. I'll be watching the whole time." He said, standing up and pulling me along with him. I swallowed and nodded, knowing that I had to put up a strong front.

Happy kept his hand on my lower back as we emerged from the back office. I let out a breath and moved a little closer to him when I saw that Alonzo and several other Aztecs were indeed there. Happy tensed but didn't move from my side. Jax met us half way back to where most of the Sons were sitting.

"They know this is a Son's business, Jaden. They aren't going to cause you any problems. I don't count on them coming back after tonight either. Just in case, I'm keeping a prospect here with your bouncer whenever I can spare one." He said, looking at me with his Teller smile. I took a deep breath and nodded confidently.

"Thanks, Jax. For everything." I said. He nodded and pulled me into a hug. I was surprised but welcomed it as an acceptance into the family.

None of the Aztecs even looked my way during the rest of the night. By closing time, only SAMCRO and the employees were left. I hopped up on stage and dangled my legs off as Barbie walked over with the tablet. Jax lit a joint and watched her expectantly.

"So, I've counted the cash three times and ran the reports twice. Not including the girl's tips, which are all theirs for tonight, we brought in close to five thousand dollars." She said with an excited laugh. I let out a woop and took the joint Jax passed me.

"Keep that up and we're going to need a second location." Jax said with a laugh. Barbie and I both shook our heads adamently. It was a pain in the ass to get one place up and running and we weren't looking to do it again any time soon. I passed the joint back to Jax and smiled over at Happy. He made eye contact with Jax who I caught smirking.

"What?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at Happy and then Jax. Jax put his hands up in surrender and pointed back towards Happy. He walked over to me and kissed me in such a way that all his brothers whistled and I felt my cheeks redden.

"Figured you may want to celebrate something else. Jaden Lee Conner, I knew I wanted to get to know you since the first time you told me off at the bar. I don't want that to stop, J. I want to keep getting to know you forever. Marry me, Jaden." He didn't get down on one knee, but I never would have expected him to. He did pull a ring box out of his kutte and opened it up towards me, revealing a emerald cut solitaire diamond. I suddenly realized that it was six months to the day since I'd first met him. I couldn't find my voice, so I just nodded and kissed him hard.

Again, the room filled with cheers and yells as Happy slid the ring on my finger. I was exhausted but happier than I'd ever been. Barbie gave me a hug and congratulated me with a giggle.

"I was dying from keeping that a secret. Congrats, future Mrs. Lowman." I laughed, liking the sound of that. I gave her a wink.

"Thanks, blondie." She slapped my arm playfully and threatened me creatively if I started calling her that. Happy laughed and wrapped his arm around my waist. "You ready to go?"

"Just waiting on you, J." He said nodding to Rat who gave him a handshake. I nodded, knowing that we could finish setting the chairs and everything back up tomorrow. As tired as I was, I just wanted to get back home and celebrate with Happy.

"I'm going to swing by Lyla and Opie's to pick up Millie and then I'll see you at home." I said during a break in kissing him out in the parking lot. He shook his head and kissed me again.

"Not letting you out of my sight tonight, J. I'll follow you." He growled, running his hands down my arms. I nodded and kissed him one more time before getting in my car. I waited to back out of my space until he was on his bike and waiting to pull out directly behind me.

"Hey! Congratulations!" Lyla said, pulling me into her arms. I laughed and hugged her tightly.

"Did everyone know before me?" She nodded and I rolled my eyes. Of course they did. Millie walked out to me with a yawn, letting me know just how past her bed time it was. Happy opened the passenger door for me and waited for me as I got her hooked to the seat tether. He closed the door and gave me another kiss. "Keep that up and we'll never get home."

"After you, woman." I smacked his chest playfully and got into my car, smiling at his figure in the rearview mirror. Millie was already sound asleep in the passenger seat as I started the car.

When we were a few blocks from home, she sat up and put her nose to the crack in the window. I worried that she may get sick and cracked it a little more. She sneezed and shook her head. I wondered what she had smelled until it started coming in through my window as well. It was smoke.

"What's wrong?" Happy asked, pulling up beside me. I explained the smell and he shook his head. "It's not from the car, J." He looked at my hood and that's when I caught sight of a orange glow in the sky. I shook my head and covered my mouth with my hand. Happy searched my eyes quickly before following my gaze.

"Stay behind me, Jaden." He directed before darting back to his bike. He sped down the street and I followed him as closely as I could while maintaining some type of safe distance. I threw my arm out to the passenger seat to keep Millie in the seat as I hit my brakes. Our house was surrounded by fire trucks and police, battling the flames that were visible through the windows.

I rolled up the windows and turned on the circulation for the air system to keep the smoke out of the car before getting out and walking over to Happy. Millie barked angrily, not liking being left in the car. Happy was on the phone when I walked up. I already knew what was going to happen.

"We're going on lockdown at the clubhouse, J. Jax, Tig and Chibs are headed this way. Chibs and Tig will make sure you get there safe. Don't come out of the clubhouse for any reason. If Millie needs to go out, make Rat or somebody take her. J, are you listening?" He asked, looking at me questioningly.

"Yeah, I heard you Happy. This was them, wasn't it?" He pushed his toothpick to the side of his mouth and nodded as the firefighters doused the house with water. "You're going to war with them, aren't you?"

"It's not my decision, Jaden. I'm making sure you're safe." I nodded and felt all of the elation from earlier draining right out of me. Happy pulled me into his arms and planted a kiss in my hair. "I'm never going to let anything happen to you, Jaden."

 **A/N: Sadness but everyone is safe, so there's that at least.**


	20. Chapter 20

Being at the clubhouse seemed almost surreal. Chibs fussed over me, asking if he could get me anything and telling me everything would be okay. It was a sweet notion and I knew he was coming from a good place, but I just wanted to process alone. Gemma shooed Chibs away and sat across the table from me.

"You need anything? Shampoo, any of that?" Gemma asked. I looked up at her and then back down at the tattoo on my wrist.

"No, I've got stuff in Lodi. We hadn't moved much of anything in yet." I said, not even thinking about what we'd lost. I was focused on who did it and what the club's next move was. If it was just my apartment then there would be a sliver of a chance the club wouldn't act on it, but it wasn't. They chose the house that Happy and I shared. There was no calling the club off.

"Are you freaking out about the stuff or the house?" Gemma asked, leaning back in her seat. I shifted Millie to a more comfortable position on my lap and looked up at Gemma.

"Neither. It's just stuff. Even the truck and the house. I'm worried about what happens during the coming war. What happens when Happy comes home covered in his own blood instead of someone else's? What happens when any of them are hurt? I don't care about the stuff, Gemma. I care about the people I consider family." I said. She looked surprised at first, but then she started to smile.

"You're definitely an old lady." She said, patting my hand. "Look, sweetie, they've been through hell before. They'll need us more than ever when this pops off. The only thing you can do is make sure he's not coming home to another war with you. Be there for your man."

I nodded and looked at my ring on my left hand that Gemma was holding. Happy had to make it out of this okay. I never thought I'd admit it to myself, but I found myself needing him. I stood up and gave Gemma a tight smile.

"I'm going to be in Happy's dorm. I just need some alone time." I said, grabbing on to Millie's collar. Gemma was nodding, but her eyes were focused on something behind me. I turned around and shook my head. The sheriff was walking into the clubhouse with another deputy by his side.

"Ms. Conner, I need to talk to you." He called. Chibs stood from his seat at the bar and approached Roosevelt.

"The lass just came home to 'er house burnin'. Why don't ya give 'er some space?" Chibs said, stepping in the sheriff's path. Roosevelt stopped and eyed Chibs with a smirk.

"Don't do something stupid, Telford. Just need to bring her in and ask her a few questions about the fire." Roosevelt said. I opened my mouth to object, but thought better of it.

"I'm not talking to you without legal representation. Unless I'm under arrest, you can't force me to go with you. You can contact my lawyer about setting up a time to speak with me." I said, putting on hand on my hip and holding Millie's collar with the other. She was leaning against my legs, trying to prevent me from going anywhere. I heard motorcycles approaching and Millie started barking loudly, telling me one of them was Happy.

Sure enough, Happy burst into the clubhouse moments later, looking rapturous. Roosevelt turned to face him and Happy stopped right at his toes, towering over him. I saw Roosevelt tense and his hand hover over his gun.

"I fucking told you to leave her alone. She was with me the whole time." Happy yelled, not letting Roosevelt's badge intimidate him. I watched as Happy gave Roosevelt a look that could kill him ten times only, if only looks could kill. Chibs seemed to recover from his shock and approached Happy carefully.

"She's not talkin' to him, brother. Go take care of ya'r woman." He said, glancing over at me. Happy looked down at Roosevelt for another minute before smiling eerily and moving away. He walked over to me and kissed me possessively. I blinked hesitantly but kissed him back.

"I'll give him Lohen's card. You two get somewhere behind closed doors before you both get arrested." Gemma said, motioning towards the dorms. Happy snapped his fingers and pointed down the hall, sending Millie running ahead of us. I followed Happy, holding on to his hand and taking extra long strides to keep up.

"Do they know anything?" I asked, sitting cross legged on the bed. Happy shrugged his kutte off and placed it on top of the dresser as he shook his head. I nodded and spun my engagement ring around my finger. "We do though, right?"

"Yeah, J. You know them even more than we do. Arson's their thing. I've got prospects sitting on your place in Lodi until we can get stuff moved out of there." He said, pulling his shirt off and over his head.

"How did they know we lived there? We haven't even moved in yet." I said, looking up at him. He toed his boots off and leaned forward with a sigh.

"I don't know, baby. They could have put a tail on one of us…" He let himself trail off, not saying what I knew he was thinking. I nodded and put my head in my hands.

"If anything happens to you or anyone else, it's going to be on me. I brought the club into a fucking war." I looked up at him as he stood up and crossed the room.

"Jaden, you didn't do this." He said, pulling me onto his lap after sitting next to me. I scoffed and opened my mouth to object but he cut me off. "No, listen. You can't put their actions on you. You didn't start a fire in an Son's house, J. Whatever happens is on them, not you."

"It goes deeper than that, Happy. Why did they start the fire? Why did they ever even come to Charming? Me." I said, wishing he would just call it like it was. He cracked his neck and took a deep breath.

"Jaden, stop." He said with an air of finality. I shook my head and stood up. He just watched me as I crossed the room in a huff.

"Stop what, Happy? Stop telling the truth? I'm going to be here for you every day, no matter what but you've got to stop lying. Just admit that if I never came around, you and the club wouldn't be going to war with the Aztecs." I said, petting Millie as she walked over to check on me. She shoved her head into my hand and licked at my fingers.

"What's that gonna do, Jaden? You really think they'd start a fucking war over some shit from years ago?" He asked with a scoff. I narrowed my eyes at him, looking for more.

"What did you do?" I asked after he stayed silent for a few minutes. He cut his eyes over at me and clinched his teeth. "Happy. Martinez wasn't at BJ's earlier. You killed him for hurting me, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did." He said, towering over me and looking me in the eyes. "What now, Jaden?" I swallowed hard, biting my lip. I knew what he did for the club but knowing someone had died by his hands, because of me was new. I brought my eyes up to his and saw the same man I'd fallen in love with. He wasn't any different.

Instead of answering him, I raised up on my toes and kissed him. It seemed to take him off guard for a minute, but then he picked me up and moved me over to the bed. I pulled him down on top of me, wanting to feel his warmth and feel secure. He supported his weight on his forearms but obliged me by kissing me deeply and taking it slow.

He held me throughout the night, my back pressed up against his chest the whole time. I'd wake up every so often, not able to sleep, and he'd kiss my shoulder and pull me closer to him. I knew that when morning finally came, he'd have to deal with the aftermath of the Aztec's retaliation. Knowing that it wasn't directly my fault didn't make me feel any better. If anything I was more worried that Happy would put himself on the line because of the role he played in bringing this on the club.

"Can't sleep either?" Jax asked as I creeped into the main room. I stopped trying to be sneaky and shook my head. He nodded and pointed towards the coffee pot behind the bar.

"Can I ask you something?" He looked up from his coffee, neither giving me permission or denying me. I put the pot back on the warming plate at poured some sugar into the mug. "Do you know?"

"He's my Sergeant at Arms, Jaden. I knew before it ever happened." He said, not needing clarification. I nodded and looked down into my coffee. "It was voted on, Jaden. No matter how you try to blame yourself, every member of this club agreed to take this risk."

"For me." I said, shaking my head in disbelief. Jax laughed and gave me a smile.

"Yeah, Jaden, for you. You're part of this screwed up family. We look after our own." He said, staring at my with his light blue eyes.

"Thank you." I said quietly. He nodded as Happy walked into the room in a pair of gym shorts. I gave him a smile and walked back to the dorm room as he approached Jax.

"So, you never have to explain being sore again." Barbie said with a little giggle as I walked into the room. I was surprised to see her but crawled into bed with Millie and my coffee.

"What?" I asked, not completely sure what she was talking about. She laughed and her cheeks reddened.

"Well, I kind of walked in on your man getting dressed. I'm not used to living with men. I knocked but then I tried to knob and it turned and I walked in." She spoke quickly and I cracked up laughing, causing her to blush even more. "I mean I know he's tall and you're not super tall but I didn't realize he'd be like, you know, huge?"

"I needed that laugh, thank you." I said with a giggle. She rolled her eyes and started laughing as well.

"How are you doing?" She asked after we both stopped laughing. I shrugged my shoulders and poked Millie with my foot.

"As well as I can be after our house burned down. What time do you want to head to BJ's?" I asked, looking for work to do. She shrugged and sat down on the corner of the bed. Mille bounded over to her, hoping Barbie would play tug-a-war with her.

"Whenever I guess. I think I'm going to wait to tell Juice about the baby. You know, until this blows over." She said. I shook my head and she frowned.

"No way. You need to tell him, Barbie. If anything, its motivation for him to come home safe." I said, refusing to let her out of telling him this time. She nodded and gave me a little smile.

"You looking for a threesome or something?" Happy growled as he walked in. Barbie blushed and he smirked. "You're the one on my bed and checking me out."

"Happy! Jesus Christ." I said with a laugh. He smirked and hitched his shoulder before walking into the attached bathroom and closing the door. Barbie's cheeks were almost as red as Destiny's hair.

"So, I'm going to go back to Juice's dorm and pretend none of this happened. Come get me when you're ready to go." She said sheepishly. I laughed and promised I would before going into the bathroom as Barbie left the room.

"You know you're horrible, right?" I asked, stepping into the shower with him and trailing my hands up his chest to rest them on his shoulder. He nodded and kissed me quickly.

"You love me, so you're just as horrible. Rat and Juice are going to BJ's with you today." He said, passing me his body wash. I curled my lip but knew my options were limited at the time. He kissed me passionately as I washed my body. I laughed when he took the loofa and washed my back. "I'm going to protect you, Jaden."

"Happy, I'm more concerned about you coming back whole. Promise me that, if anything. Promise me that you'll come home safe." I said with the water crashing over my head. He nodded kissed my forehead.

"I promise, Jaden." He stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist before moving to the sink to shave. I let a few, silent tears mix in with the water before steeling myself and stepping out. "We'll stay at your place in Lodi once the lockdown is over. At least until we can find a place closer to Charming."

"Okay, Hap. Are you almost done? I need to get ready so we can get down to the club." He made one final pass with the razor and then used a smaller towel to wipe the shaving cream off his head.

"Call me when you get there, J. Keep your phone on you." He said before leaving the bathroom to get dressed in the bedroom. I did what I could with my hair before getting dressed in the clothes that I fortunately kept at the clubhouse. They weren't the cutest clothes, but they were clean and would do in a pinch.

I walked out of the clubhouse, wondering why Barbie wasn't in Juice's room like she said. I found her sitting in my car, holding a pack of cigarettes. I bit my lip and leaned against the back door as Millie tried to lick Barbie happy. She pet the puppy halfheartedly and looked up at me. I saw that her mascara had all but run off her lashes and onto her cheeks.

"What happened?" I asked her. She scoffed and raised the pack of smokes. I twisted my mouth, not understanding her gesture.

"He asked me if I needed money for an abortion. What am I supposed to do with that?" She asked, her laughter turning into sobs. I frowned and squatted down in front of her. "I knew he'd be surprised but I didn't know he'd make me get rid of it."

"Is he though? Was he telling you to get rid of the baby or asking if you wanted to, doll? I know you're upset but I can't see Juice not wanting a baby with you. He thinks you hung the moon." I said, wondering what the world was coming to. Barbie shook her head and tapped the pack of cigarettes on the heel of her hand.

"Does it matter? Let's just go." She said with a sigh, handing the cigarettes over to me. I slid them in my back pocket as I stood up. "Where are you going?"

"Juice and Rat are our tails today, Barbie. I've got to let them know we're leaving." I said, turning towards the clubhouse. Juice met me at the door and looked across the lot to my car. "Good job, asshole."

"What? I never said I didn't want it! I just didn't think she would." He said with a frown. I raised my brow and he shrugged. "I mean, she's a stripper."

I smacked my hand across Juice's face with a pop as Rat walked out of the clubhouse. The prospect froze, clearly unsure as to what he walked into. I pointed at my car and then jabbed my finger into Juice's chest.

"She's your old lady, asshole. She used to strip and now she owns a club. Neither of you ever call her a stripper again. It's one thing when you're saying it as a compliment but that's not who we are, it's what we did. You want that kid? You better start fixing your fuck up or else she'll do it without you." I said before spinning on my booted heel and storming back to my car. Barbie looked like a deer in headlights when I got in the driver's seat.

"He wants the kid, he's just an idiot." I explained as I reached into the back seat and hooked Millie's harness to the seat belt. Rat and Juice's bikes roared to life and they positioned themselves in front of and behind my car as we headed out of the lot, the gate sliding closed behind us.

 **A/N: Again thank you so much for your continued support!**


	21. Chapter 21

Between the ongoing war and BJ's, I felt like I was never going to get more than five hours of solid sleep. It had been two weeks since we came home to find our house in flames and I was starting to see a toll it was taking on both Happy and I. He would come home at strange hours and both of us were exhausted. We'd started fighting over the simplest things and rarely found time for sex. When we did, it was more for a release than to be with each other.

"She needs to sleep somewhere else. Bed's too damn small for her to take up half of it." Happy grumbled, picking Millie up and putting her down on the floor. I narrowed my eyes and scooted over to the very edge of the bed. "What are you doing?"

"Obviously you need more space. Do you want me to get in the floor to?" I snapped, narrowing my eyes at him. He sighed and shook his head, pulling his shirt off.

"No, I want you to stop starting fights." He said, sitting down and pulling his boots off. I rolled my eyes and turned my back to him. "Seriously, Jaden?"

"What? I'm not starting a fight." I said, tired of the tension between us. I felt the bed give as he laid down beside me. It was the first time we'd actually gone to bed at the same time in days. "Happy?"

"Yeah, J." He said, rolling over. I felt his breath on my back and bit my bottom lip. He put a hand on my hip and I rolled over to face him. "No, Jaden. Don't even think it."

"I'm sorry, Happy. I'm supposed to making things easier for you, not harder." I said, feeling insecure, which pissed me off. He kissed my forehead and rubbed a thumb over my skin. He knew I was worried about all the croweaters that threw themselves at him.

"J, it doesn't matter if I'm fighting with you or everything is great, you being here makes things easier. Do you really think I'd fuck one of them when I have you?" He asked, searching my eyes. I hitched my shoulder.

"They don't argue or let great danes in the bed." I said, smiling a little at the end. He laughed and nodded, earning him a slap to the arm.

"You've argued with me since day one and it's our puppy, I'm just tired." He said, finishing it off with a kiss. I bit my bottom lip and traced my hand down his arm.

"Too tired for me to show you how much I love you?" I whispered. He smirked and ran his hand through my hair, pulling me against his chest. I took that as a no and kissed him desperately. He gripped my hips and rolled over on to his back, pulling me with him so I was sitting on his crotch.

"When are you gonna marry me, beautiful?" Happy asked, kissing my neck as he came back from cleaning up in the bathroom. I was still recovering from the best orgasm I'd ever had.

"I think that's the first time you ever called me beautiful." I said, avoiding his question. He nodded and wrapped an arm around my waist. "When do you want to marry me?"

"Right now." He said, kissing my shoulder. I giggled and rolled over to look at him. "What?"

"I want to be able to plan it all out and everything, Hap. Plus, I promised Barbie I'd wait until after the baby came." I said, rubbing the stubble on his head. He rolled his eyes and snapped his teeth close to my nose.

"Fine but I'm blaming blondie for making me wait." He joked. I smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Sounds good to me. Has Juice said anything about the baby?" I asked, wondering what he knew about the situation. Barbie had moved in with Juice, but refused to stay in the same room for now. Happy rolled his eyes and put his forehead on mine.

"He's in a weird place. Ever since the thing with Miles. He won't really talk to anybody but Chibs. He says shit to everybody but doesn't really talk." Happy said, seeming frustrated. "Maybe you should slap the hell out of him again."

"He deserved that and he knew it. I may though, maybe it will knock some sense into him." I said with a shrug. Gemma had tried to give me a long lecture about slapping a member, but I honestly wasn't listening.

"I know, J. Get some sleep." He said, closing his eyes. I rolled over and tucked my back against his chest. I stayed awake as long as I could, just enjoying the feel of his arms around me and the somewhat cleared air between us. I listened to his steady breathing and eventually fell asleep to the sound of it.

I woke up to the sound of Millie chewing on a cardboard box that had replaced Happy in the bed. I groaned and waved her off the bed, earning a sad look from her puppy dog eyes. I sat up in bed and looked at the box questioningly. It was addressed to me but didn't have a return address. I saw that it had already been opened, no doubt by Happy who thought it could be a bomb or decapitated head.

There was a letter inside from Happy's ma, telling me how glad she was that Happy had proposed and explaining the rest of the contents of the box. I smiled and set the letter aside, making a promise to myself to call her later. She had included several bridal magazines, a wedding planning binder and another, smaller wooden box. I raised my brow and opened it slowly. Inside was a beautiful tiara and another note from Mya.

 _My Dearest Jaden,_

 _This was something that I wore on the day I was to be married to Happy's father. It brought my mother great joy on her wedding day as well. I hope it brings you just as much happiness as you have brought my Happy._

 _Love, Mya_

I was sobbing as I held the tiara carefully in my hands. It diamonds and emeralds throughout with intricate metal work. Reading that letter and holding that family heirloom was something I never thought possible before. I never thought I would have a family, much less a family that had chosen me and I them.

"Jaden, the happy crying thing freaks me out." Happy said once I finally pulled myself together enough for him to understand me when I called him. "Don't take that stuff as you needing to rush, J. I don't want you stressing out about something else."

"I know, Hap. I'm sorry I scared you. Do you have anything planned for tomorrow?" I asked, hoping for a miracle.

"Not unless shit goes south today. You wanting to go see Ma?" He asked as motorcycles started up in the background. I nodded. "We'll try, baby. I've got to go but I'll call you when I'm headed home."

"Okay and Hap, I love you." I said, wiping my tears away. I could hear the smile in his voice as he said it back. There was a knock at the door and I called for them to come in. Millie bounded to the door to greet Barbie who was actually starting to show.

"What's wrong?" She asked looking around the room. I shook my head and smiled, showing her everything that Mya had sent. Barbie relaxed and gave me a hug.

"I'm so happy for you two, Jaden." I could hear a little sadness in her voice and my smile faltered.

"Barbie, you know I'm always here for you. Juice will come around, okay? Happy said he'd just going through some stuff after that whole deal with Miles." I said, hoping to cheer her up. As soon as the words were out of my mouth, a look of confusion told me I'd fucked up.

"What thing with Miles? I thought he just wasn't prospecting any more." She said, furrowing her brow. I pushed my hair back and bit my lip, knowing that I'd already said to much. I suddenly felt myself being pulled in two different directions. Barbie was my best friend but at the same time, it wasn't my place to tell her about club business.

"Look, that's something that Juice has to talk to you about. I thought you knew or I never would have said anything. I'm sorry." I said, trying to stay on middle ground. Barbie stood up and looked at me.

"Really? After everything we've been through the past few months? Side by side? Now you want to play good old lady and not tell me anything? Why, because I'm just knocked up by a son?" Her cheeks were red and I was almost certain she was about to start crying. I frowned and shook my head.

"Don't do that, doll. You're just as much an old lady as I am." I said, feeling about four inches tall. She scoffed and motioned towards the door.

"Tell all the other old ladies, croweaters and Sons that. I don't have a crow, Jaden. As far as everyone else is concerned, I'm just Juice's fuck buddy he got knocked up." She said, her tears starting to fall now. I shook my head and walked over to her.

"That's not true, Barbie. No one thinks that!" I said, wondering where all of her insecurity was coming from. She laughed but it sounded more like a croak through her tears.

"Oh? That's exactly what Mindy said yesterday." She sniffled and finally hugged me back. I went stiff and ground my teeth together.

"She said that to you?" I asked, shocked that the young girl would say that. Barbie laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Hell no, she was telling some other girl with blonde hair." Barbie said, her eyes widening as I took a step back. I grabbed a shirt out of Happy's drawer and pulled it on over my head, knowing it came down to just a few inches above my knees. I then grabbed a pair of older, black skinny jeans that already had tears in the denim. "Uh, what are you doing?"

"Getting dressed, doll. I've got an errand to run before we head down to BJ's. Watch Millie for me, she has food in her bowl." I said, stepping into my boots and pulling my hair up at the same time. She opened her mouth to question me further, but I was already out of the room. Tara was sitting on one of the couches rocking Thomas when I stormed towards the door.

"Jaden? Is everything okay?" She asked. I glanced over at her and took a deep breath. "You just look mad and no offense but I've never seen you dressed like that."

"Well, you know, throwback-Thursday and everything. Have you seen Mindy?" I asked, adjusting my bag on my shoulder. She fixed her eyes on me and stood up, carrying Thomas over to me.

"I have but I'm not letting you storm out of here alone like this." She said, searching my eyes. I smiled sweetly and motioned towards the door.

"You're more than welcome to come with me but I don't have a car seat." I said, pinching Thomas' little foot gently. She nodded and gave me a smirk.

"Gemma can watch him. I'll meet you at your car." She said, obviously looking for some excitement. I shrugged and headed outside, lighting a cigarette as I walked to my car to wait on Tara. Luckily, we didn't have to have shadows anymore, at least for the time being.

Tara told me that Mindy had gone to the grocery store with a list from Gemma for Sunday's family dinner. I headed in that direction, promising Tara I wasn't planning on killing her. I chose my words carefully, but Tara didn't seem to know me well enough to catch that like Happy or Barbie would. I parked next to the doors and lit another cigarette, waiting for the croweater to come outside. I knew Gemma would flip if she didn't get the groceries and I wasn't going to get in the middle of that.

"Do you know how to drive a stick?" I asked Tara conversationally. She nodded and raised her brow at me. I hitched my shoulder. "Just asking."

"Tara? Jaden? Did Gemma forget to put something on the list? She could have called my cell." Mindy said, walking out with a shopping cart full of plastic bags. I shook my head and wondered why she didn't use reusable bags.

"No, you can put those in my trunk though. Gemma's in a rush to get them." I said, knowing that she wouldn't really question it if I mentioned Gemma. She nodded and started unloading the groceries into the trunk as I finished my cigarette. When she got down to the last few bags, I returned the shopping cart to the corral like a decent human being. Mindy was closing the trunk lid as I walked back up from behind her.

"Jaden!" Tara yelled as I slammed Mindy's face into the back of the car. She stumbled backwards, holding her bleeding nose. She blinked at me a few times and I could barely understand her asking "why" through the blood and crying.

"Tara, do you mind driving? I don't want to touch my steering wheel with blood on my hands." I said, before punching Mindy's face, sending blood splattering onto my car. I knew I needed to wash it anyways. She tried to swing blindly at me and I grabbed her throat, slamming her back against her green SUV I recognized from the lot. "Next time you want to insult someone, you may want to know who their friends are."

I heard sirens and cursed under my breath. Tara backed the car up and waved for me to get in. I cursed under my breath and got into the car quickly, thankful that Tara knew back ways to get to Gemma's house. She fussed about not giving her a heads up the whole ride.

"What's going on?" Gemma asked, getting Thomas out of his car seat as we got out of my car in her driveway. I motioned towards the house.

"Can I use your bathroom? I need to wash my hands." I explained. Gemma blinked a couple times but eventually nodded. She unlocked the front door as Tara bounced her son on her hip, telling Gemma everything she knew about what happened. I filled her in once I got back from cleaning the blood off.

"At the grocery store? Really? You couldn't have waited until she was at the clubhouse where no one would call the cops?" She scolded. I knew she had a point but I wasn't thinking about it.

"It was a heat of the moment decision. She hurt my best friend." I said, hitching my shoulder. Gemma shook her head and rubbed at her temples.

"You aren't exactly hard to find, Jaden. If she presses charges..." Gemma started until I cut her off with a laugh.

"Yeah, right. She's too damn happy sucking Sons off at parties to get herself thrown out by pressing charges on an old lady." I said, shaking my head and grabbing a juice box out of the fridge. There were three loud knocks on the front door and Thomas started crying loudly. I tossed Tara my car keys and headed towards the door. "Get my car back to the lot, please. Hey, Sheriff."

"Ms. Conner, mind telling me what happened between you and Mindy Perez at the grocery store?" He said, resting his hands on his duty belt. I took a sip from my juice box and nodded my head.

"I do mind, fifth amendment and all. Why? What does Mindy Perez say happened?" I asked, never having known her last name before. Roosevelt narrowed his eyes and shook his head.

"She's not saying anything just yet. See, some law abiding, good citizens called 911 and said that someone matching your description was beating her pretty badly. Even gave your car description to. How did your car get blood on it, exactly?" He asked, pointing to the car. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Dunno, maybe some birds were on the rag when they flew over my car. Are you taking me in for questioning or are you expecting an invitation to dinner?" I asked before taking another sip of juice.

"I need you to come to the station with me." He growled. I nodded and sucked the juice box dry, enjoying his cringe at the slurping noises.

"That's good, table is full anyways. Maybe next time. Probably not though." I said, shrugging as I walked past him. I heard the jingle of his cuffs and laughed. "Really, Sheriff, I'm not a bracelet kind of girl. Thanks though." I said, opening the back door to the squad car for myself. He paused for a minute before sighing and putting his cuffs back on his belt.

"Do you want to call your lawyer?" Roosevelt asked as he sat across a metal table from me. I shook my head, wishing I'd thought to bring another juice box with me.

"Nah, just Happy." I said. He nodded and pushed the phone over to me. Happy's phone rang a few times before he sent it to voicemail. "Hey, sexy, I just wanted you to know that I am being questioned at the station. Gemma or Tara can tell you what's going on. I'll call you if I leave before you get here. Don't rush, I'm fine. Love you and can't wait to ride your." Roosevelt pressed the button on the phone base, cutting me off.

"Come on! I was going to say motorcycle. Pervert." I said, shaking my head and leaning back in the chair. Roosevelt went through the standard questions a few time, many of which I refused to answer until I was arrested and had legal representation. He seemed to get tired of the games before I did and stood up.

"I'm going to go see what Ms. Perez wants to charge you with. Need anything?" He asked. I nodded and pointed towards the door.

"If you can find a juice box or a bottle of water, that'd be great. I'm hungry but I'm guessing you don't have any vegetarian options. It kind of smells like bacon in here. Maybe it's all the pigs though." I said, rambling to make him leave faster. I looked at my ring and then started counting ceiling tiles as I waited for him to come back. A couple hours later when he did, he was empty handed. "Aww, nothing?"

"She's decided not to press charges, for now. You're free to go, but don't go far." He said, leaving the door open for me. I nodded and stood up.

"Can't really go that far. I would go home but that got burnt down. How's your investigation going on that? I guess you'd probably care a little more if it was Oswald's or Hale's, huh? Funny how money controls your citation book." I said as he walked me out to the front. I saw Happy and smiled. "Good talk."

Happy waited until we were outside to say anything. He turned to look at me as we reached his bike. I could see the anger in his eyes. I sighed and raised up to my toes to kiss his lips.

"That bald asshole said I was more annoying than Tig." I said with a pout. Happy's face slowly morphed into a strange, pained looking expression before he busted out laughing. I narrowed my eyes at him and folded my arms across my chest. "What?"

"What? You're fucking crazy, Jaden. You beat the shit out of a croweater at the grocery store." He said, pulling me to him. I shook my head.

"One, it was in the parking lot and two, I can neither confirm nor deny those allegations." I said with a wink. He growled and kissed me roughly.

 **A/N: I'd just like to say that this was a really fun chapter to write AND you all ROCK with reviews. Like, really rock. Thank you for continuing to read. We've still got a ways to go, this one is probably going to be a longer fic. :) Happy Reading & Reviewing**


	22. Chapter 22

I stretched my arms high above my head as we got off Happy's bike at his Ma's house. I was sore from sending a message to Mindy and the long ride down to Bakersfield. Happy held his hand out for my helmet as he rolled his shoulders. I knew he was tense about leaving Charming on our own during the middle of the war, but we had Tig and Chibs riding with us to the half way mark and they were going to meet us there again tomorrow when we headed back.

"Jaden! Happy! I expected you an hour ago. You two had me worried!" Mya called from the front porch as I looped my arm through Happy's. I could smell the spices and warm aroma coming from the kitchen before we even walked inside. Happy paused and gave his Ma a kiss before we walked inside.

"Ma, you ever gonna listen and not cook? I coulda taken you out somewhere." He said, looking Mya over with concern in his dark eyes. I gave her a hug as she shook her head.

"Nonsense, Happy! I like to cook for my baby and my future daughter." Mya said with a bright smile. I grinned and followed her into the kitchen to see what she had fixed us. She smiled and lifted the lid to show off dirty rice and beans along with several other traditional dishes.

"So, Jaden, is your family excited for the wedding? Gia and I were talking just yesterday about how nice it would be to get together before the big day." Mya said with eager eyes. I nodded slowly and swallowed back my disappointment.

"I don't actually have any family, Mya. Well, that's not exactly true but the only family I do have, my mother, is in prison and abandoned me when I was a teenager." I said, wishing the inevitable conversation wasn't happening. Happy leaned back in his chair and gave his ma a look. "Please, don't apologize or anything. I've dealt with it for years."

"Oh, Jaden." Mya said, tears coming to her eyes. I felt my cheeks and ears start to warm and excused myself from the table. I walked outside and stared up at the sky, shaking my head before dropping it to look at my feet. The whys and what if's of my life reared their ugly heads and started tormenting me.

"J, I should have told her before. I'm sorry." Happy said, walking up behind me. I shook my head and continued staring at my hands.

"Why does it still bother me? It's been years. Why do I feel guilty? I didn't do anything to make them desert me. I did everything they asked. I never asked for candy or for toys I knew I couldn't have. I was barely a fucking teenager and they sent me out on my own like I never mattered." I clinched my fists and turned around to look at him.

"I can't remember either of them telling me they loved me. Hell, the only time I ever remember them hugging me was when I left. What makes me even madder is knowing that the look in your eyes right now is either some kind of pity or wishing that you could fix things." I said, seeing it written all over his face. I scoffed and looked at my boots.

"Jaden, look at me. I wouldn't want to fix it, even if I could. You know why?" I blinked up at him. "J, all that shit you've been through, all that shit they put you through and everything you've never told me about, that's all part of who you are. I know plenty of men and women that would be strung out in some gutter or dead if they ever went through half the shit you did. You're not though. You're the strongest person I know, J."

"There's some things I may never tell you. I can't." I said, stepping into his arms. He placed a kiss in my hair before resting his chin on the top of my head.

"That's probably a good idea. There's only so many places I can hide bodies." He said with not a hint of humor in his voice. I nodded, happy he wouldn't try to make me tell him. "You're not a damsel in distress, J. I've never seen you as one."

"That's good because you're no Hercules." I said, referencing one of my favorite Disney movies. He raised his brow, obviously not understanding the reference. I shook my head and kissed his lips. "It's okay, baby, I prefer tattooed bikers, remember."

"Yeah, I seem to remember you mentioning that at one point." He said with a smile. I smiled and kissed him again.

"Let's get back inside. Your ma mentioned fried ice cream. I don't know how you can fry ice cream but it sounds deliciously unhealthy." I said, leading him inside by the hand. He chuckled and followed me back to the kitchen.

Mya, Happy and I stayed up well into the night talking about everything from how Happy was a flirt when he was little to how many people we were planning on inviting to the wedding. My family wasn't mentioned again, but it was still lingering in the back of my mind. It was nice that Happy saw it as part of who I was, but that didn't mean that I wouldn't have liked a normal childhood.

"What are you thinking about, J?" Happy asked, rolling over to see that I was still awake. I brought my hand to his cheek and let my lips curl up in a small smile.

"How glad I'll be when this war is over and we can find another house. Millie's kind of outgrowing the dorm already." I said. He nodded and turned his head, kissing my palm.

"We can find a place, baby. This shit with the Aztecs won't last much longer. It's hurting their profits and they stand to lose a lot more than we do." He said. I knew he was referring to the Cartel getting involved. He'd mentioned it one night last week when he'd gotten out of an unusually long church.

"Has Juice told Barbie anything at all?" I asked, tracing the tattoo that encircled the bottom of his neck. He shook his head slowly.

"It's not just because he doesn't want to, J. That's a big part of it but as much as the two of you disagree with it, she's not an old lady." He said carefully. I narrowed my eyes at him and pursed my lips.

"Happy, they've been together longer than we have! How is she any less of an old lady than I am? Hell, she's pregnant with his kid." I said, shocked that he had said that. He sighed and propped himself up on his forearm.

"Yeah, she is but that doesn't change anything. He still hasn't made it known to anyone that she's his old lady. It's not even about the crow, so don't pull that card, J. He's yet to announce it or even tell the others that she's off limits." He said, frowning as I scowled at him.

"So? Actions speak louder than words." I said, frustrated that it sounded like Mindy may have actually been right, at least in the club and everyone else's mind. That thought made my jaws clinch. "Has he been with any croweaters since they got together?"

"I don't know, J. It's not like we have some locker room that we hang out in and brag about where we last planted our flag. Baby, in the club, words are as good as actions. Soon as I saw you at Diamonds and Lace that night, you were off limits because I said so. Soon as I knew I was falling for your stubborn ass, you were my old lady because I said so." He said, trying to win me over with a smirk. I rolled my eyes and rolled over, moving my back so it was against his chest.

"I'm going to talk to Juice tomorrow." I said confidently. Happy groaned and kissed my shoulder.

"Just don't put him in the hospital." Happy teased. I glanced back to see him smirking with his eyes closed. "I love you, Jaden."

"I love you." I said before closing my eyes and relaxing in his strong arms. After a few minutes, I fell asleep.

The whole ride back to Charming, I was thinking about what I was going to say to Juice. Happy had expanded on his warning about talking to him to include not stepping over the line and telling me that he'd be there with me. I argued on that point, but he wasn't hearing it, telling me that it would be better for Juice that he was there to referee instead of learning that he'd disrespected me afterwards. I couldn't argue with that, so I gave in.

At the half way point, we stopped to stretch and eat the sandwiches that Mya had forced on us as we walked out of the house. I said down on the guardrail and looked over the three bikes and the Sons they belonged to. Each bike had a different personality, just like each of them. I turned it over in my head as Happy talked to Tig and Chibs a few feet away.

"Heard you annoyed the hell out of Roosevelt." Tig said with a smile as he sat down next to me. Happy and Chibs seemed to be in a heated conversation now. I nodded and gave him a smile.

"Apparently I out did you." I said, giving him a wink. "Hey, Tig, will you do me a favor?"

"Anything, tiny dancer." He said with a twinkle in his eyes. I rolled my eyes at the nick name that he was trying to make stick.

"Watch out for him when y'all are out there. I know he's got to watch out for Jax being SAA and all but I want to make sure someone's got his back to." I said, watching Tig's expression soften.

"Sweetheart, you may not go out there with us but you've got his back just as much as any of us can. Ever since you came into the picture, he's been more tactical. It's less about charging in with guns blazing and more about getting the job done and getting back home to you. Don't worry though, tiny dancer, I've got his freaky back." Tig said with a warm smile. I laughed, remembering Happy telling me that second to Kozik, Tig was his best friend.

"Thanks, Tigster." I said, standing up and brushing the dirt off my ass as Chibs and Happy walked over. Happy kicked Tig's boot and narrowed his eyes.

"Keep looking at her ass and I'll cut your eyes out." Happy growled. Tig laughed and clapped Happy on the back.

"Totally worth it, my brother. Totally worth it." Tig said, digging his way under Happy's skin. I laughed and shook my head, grabbing Happy's hand and putting it firmly on my butt.

"It's all yours, grumpy." I said with a smile. He nodded and squeezed it before giving my bottom a little slap and pointing towards the bike.

"Let's go, tiny dancer." He said. I growled loudly and everyone started laughing, especially Tig. I was grumbling about the stupid nickname when a black suv slowed down as it passed. I saw the sun bounce off metal of a gun sticking out of the window and dove for Happy, catching him just right to shove him a few feet to the left as the bullets started raining down on us.

"Stay down." Happy said, grabbing one of his pistols and returning fire as the suv sped off. I heard one of the bikes start and take off after it. Happy turned to check on me and I saw his tan face start to pale. "Jaden."

"I'm okay. Just give me a minute." I said, groaning from the pain coming from above my right hip. I knew I'd been hit. It wasn't the first time I'd been shot. When I was boosting cars, an angry owner caught me one day and grazed me with a .45. Unfortunately, it wasn't a grazing this time. Happy grabbed a bandanna out of his saddle bags and pressed it on the wound. "Ow."

"Damnit, Jaden. You should have just gotten down. Why did you shove me out of the way, baby? Huh?" Happy asked, applying pressure as I hissed and ground my teeth together.

"You jump, I jump, remember?" I said, quoting another of my favorite movies. He sighed and moved behind me, pulling me up into a seated position with my head against his chest.

"Not exactly on a boat, Jaden. Yeah, I've seen the movie." He growled as Tig ran over to us.

"Then you should know it's a ship, not a boat." I said between breaths. Tig told us that the club was on the way down with the van to get me to the hospital. I shook my head and fought to stand up. "I appreciate the gesture but I'll be dead by the time they get here and get me back to a hospital. Tig, give me your belt."

He paused for a second before taking off his belt and handing it over to me. I handed it to Happy and motioned towards my stomach, unable to get the words out. He wrapped the belt around me and tightened it as much as he could so it kept pressure on the bandanna that was quickly soaking through.

"Where's the next town?" I asked with a groan. Tig pointed up the road and told me it'd be about fifteen minutes doing the speed limit. "Okay, well let's not worry about the speed limit right now, okay? It's seriously going to be the lesser of the laws we're about to break.

"Jaden, you can't ride like this. You fall off at fifty miles an hour and the bullet in your stomach won't even matter any more." Happy said, shaking his head. I struggled up to my feet and hobbled towards his bike.

"Good thing you're going to be doing at least eighty then, huh? Do you know anyone that can make cars disappear?" I asked, struggling to put my helmet on. Happy hurried to help me.

"Yeah, we have a guy. Jaden, I can't drive and ride my bike." He said as he helped me onto the back of his bike. I nodded and wrapped my arms around him, stifling a scream.

"I know, I'm driving. Just try to keep up and as soon as we get to a hospital, get that car to your guy." I said with a whimper. Happy hated the plan, I could tell, but it was our only choice unless he could become a surgeon within the next thirty minutes or so.

"Hold on tight, Jaden. You start feeling like you can't stay on, you tell me." Happy said as he kicked the stand up. I nodded and twisted my hands to hold the opposite wrists tightly. Tig rode right beside us, watching me carefully. The vibrations I normally loved were sending knives through my already shot stomach and I could feel myself bleeding even worse because of it.

Happy pulled to a stop near a hole in the wall looking bar just outside of some town that I didn't know the name of. I nodded my head and got off the bike slowly. I handed him the helmet and bit my lip to keep from screaming.

"Don't, just go. I'll catch up, okay? Happy, please, trust me and go." I begged as he moved to get off the bike. He searched my eyes for a moment before nodding and pulling off slowly. I felt my mouth going dry as I scanned the lot, looking for a solid target. I noticed an older Toyota parked off by itself and made my way over, fishing for my lock pick in my bag as I hobbled across the lot.

"Son of a bitch." I groaned, not finding the pick. I took out my multi-tool instead, hoping there wasn't anyone around to hear the noise of the glass shattering. I used almost all of my strength to ram the nose of the pliers into the weakest corner of the glass, cracking it instantly. I hit it again and it shattered into the seat and onto the concrete below.

I didn't waste time looking for keys and just hotwired it, realizing that boosting cars was a lot easier when you weren't bleeding out from a gun shot wound. I made a note to remember that if I ever wrote a how-to. The car started and I shifted it into drive, ignoring the posted speed limit signs and racing to catch up with Happy and Tig, but more importantly get to a hospital before I passed out and crashed.

 **A/N: So, they're in a bit of a pickle right now! What do you think?**


	23. Chapter 23

When I woke up, I was wearing a pair of jean shorts and a white t-shirt, something I used to wear all the time when I was younger. It was cold and I ran my hands up my arms, suddenly noticing my wrist didn't have a tattoo on it. I found it curious since I knew it was there before I got shot. I lifted my shirt and looked at my stomach, not only was there no wound, the stars on my hips weren't there either. I swallowed hard and dropped my shirt, only then realizing I didn't know where I was.

"You can't stay here." A voice said from behind me. I turned around to see a dirty looking woman with long brown hair and a kind face. I knew by the look of her clothes and the cart she pushed, that she was homeless. I'd been there myself before landing in California.

"Who are you?" I asked, searching my mind for any memory of meeting her before. She seemed so familiar. She shook her head and handed me a fleece blanket.

"You can't stay here, Jaden. He needs you. You could change everything." The woman said, squeezing my hand. I looked down at the fleece and then back up to thank her, but she was gone. I spun around, not knowing where she could have gone so quickly. Nothing was making any sense and I just wanted to go home to Happy and Millie.

I started walking, not knowing where I was going. I came to a wrought iron fence and followed it to a large, arched gate with a sign that said Charming Cemetery. I swallowed hard and walked inside, unsure of what I was going to find. I pulled the blanket around me tightly and started reading headstones. I paused when I saw a reaper on a large, black slab of granite. There was dirt covering the name, so I used the corner of the blanket to wipe at it.

"Jaden!" I heard Happy's voice and stood up, looking for him and starting to panic.

"Sir, you can't be in here! Relatives only, I'm sorry. We will let you know if there's any change but you have to go." I heard a woman's voice say. I shook my head and pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes. She couldn't make him leave. I needed him. I wanted him.

I tried to speak and I felt something in my throat. I struggled to reopen my eyes and saw that everything had changed. I was staring up at a white ceiling instead of a cloudy sky. I brought my hand up to my mouth and started panicking when I couldn't talk or breathe. Buzzers and beeps started sounding off around me as I clawed at the straps on my face.

"Jaden, stop! Stop, you're going to hurt yourself." It was the same voice that had told Happy to leave. I threw my hand out and connected with her face. It wasn't a solid hit, but in my current condition, it was good enough. She regained her composure quickly and several hands started grabbing me and pinning me down. I shook my head, only making my throat hurt worse.

"Calm down! Damn it, some one get a sedative!" My eyes widened and I shook my head. I was allergic to anesthesia and most sedatives; to my knowledge I'd never told Happy or anyone else that could tell them. I stopped fighting and felt hot tears running down my cheeks.

"What is it? Don't try to talk just blink, okay?" A blonde man said as the woman waited for the sedative. I blinked once and wiggled my wrist that he was holding. He looked down and loosened his grip a little for me to turn my wrist over. I raised it a little, hoping somehow that he'd put two and two together and get Happy. "Your wrist hurts?"

I scowled and blinked twice. I moved my ring finger up and down. I saw realization hit him and he nodded. "You want your fiancé? Okay, hold on. Nancy, hold off on that sedative for a minute."

"Are you crazy? She almost broke my nose!" The woman said with disbelief. The guy nodded and pointed towards the door.

"Go get her fiancé. I'm taking this tube out." He said before undoing the straps on my face. I blinked once, letting him know I understood. "On three, I need you to try and cough for me, okay? It's probably going to hurt a little. She's going to get him, okay?"

I blinked once and waited for his count. On three, I coughed and he pulled the tube out. Saying it would hurt didn't warn me for the uncontrollable gagging it caused as well. Another woman held a bed pan up for me, no doubt wanting to avoid me blowing chunks everywhere. I shook my head and put my head back on the pillow, coughing hoarsely.

"Jaden." I smiled and nodded before coughing a few more times. He stood next to me and took my hand, running his thumb over my knuckles. I started to panic when my ring didn't stop his stroking, but then I saw it on his necklace and calmed back down. He pushed my hair back and kissed my forehead gently. "You scared the shit out of me, baby. They couldn't tell me if you were going to wake up or when."

"I'm sorry." I croaked. He shook his head and brushed my tears off my cheeks with his thumb.

"It's not your fault, baby. None of it is. These past three days have been fucking hell. I used to think I didn't want to live without you, J. I can't. I can't live without you." He said, shedding tears of his own. I squeezed his hand and smiled.

"Don't have to, Hap. Can't get rid of me that easily." I said as the man that had taken my tube out reappeared in the room. Happy narrowed his eyes and watched him carefully.

"You're lucky, Jaden. When you came in, you had lost a lot of blood and your spleen was close to rupturing. It was touch and go there for a little while." He said, shining a light in my eyes. I scowled and looked away from the light. "Did you know you're allergic to anesthesia?"

"Yeah, guess that threw a wrench in stuff, huh?" I said, wishing I had some water or ice. He chuckled and nodded his head as he pressed on the uninjured side of my stomach before getting his stethoscope out and moving to listen to my heart.

"Temperature over 104, a seizure and your throat closing up? Nah, text book. The coma was just a little gift we like to give patients sometimes." He said, pulling the cold metal device off of my chest. "Seriously though, you may want to get a medical bracelet or something for that."

"Is she going to be okay?" Happy growled, tired of who I assumed was my doctor not giving me any prognosis. The man nodded and set the chart at the end of the bed.

"She will. I want to monitor her for a couple more days, but then she should be good to return home as long as she doesn't push it or take on too much stress. May want to putting wedding planning on the back burner. That made my wife get grey hair more than our kids did." He said with a laugh. Happy shook his head and looked at me before looking back at the doctor again.

"I need her moved to Saint Thomas in Charming." He said flatly. I knew that security wise, being in this hospital, wherever it was, was a logistical nightmare. The doctor hesitated before shaking his head.

"She can't be transported for at least twenty-four hours and they would have to accept her transfer." He said.

"They'll accept her." I said, causing both men to look at me with curious expressions. "What? I thought we were talking about me like I wasn't here. Seriously though, bring me whatever papers I need to transfer as soon as possible. No offense."

"No, no that's okay. I understand that being closer to home would make you feel better. I'll have Nancy bring them by." He said with a smile before leaving the room again.

"Do you need anything, J?" Happy asked holding my hand tightly. I nodded and struggled to swallow.

"Can you get me either ice or water, please? Oh and I know my lips are all chapped, but please kiss me." I said, wanting that more than anything. He grinned and kissed my lips softly and then again. "Thank you. You taste like you."

"You taste weird. I'll be right back." He said, reluctantly stepping away, I gave him a smile.

"I'll be here when you get back." I promised. He nodded and headed out of the room. I took a deep breath in and held back my tears by biting my lip. I'd never been so scared of dying before telling him to leave as I lifted the car. I could have used his help but I knew that if I didn't make it, I didn't want him to see the life drain out of me. Come to find out, it almost happened anyways.

"I snuck your bestie in." Happy said as he walked back in with both water and ice. I wiped the tears out of my eyes and smiled at Barbie as she came over to my bed slowly.

"Babe, please never say bestie again. It doesn't fit you." I said with a chuckle. He nodded and stole an ice cube.

"I know, just wanted to see you laugh." He said, sitting in the chair by the window. Barbie was crying as she hugged me carefully. As careful as she was, it still hurt. "Hey, back off, blondie."

"Don't be grumpy. I'm sorry, Jaden. I was so scared." Barbie said with a sniffle. I nodded and took her hand.

"That makes two of you." I joked, not wanting to admit just how scared I was. She laughed and wiped her tears away again. "Stop crying, silly. I'm fine."

"Okay. I love you. I think Tara wants to come back next, so I won't be greedy with you." She said, kissing my forehead. I nodded and waved to her as she left. I looked over at Happy who was watching me closely.

"Baby, I don't know how many visitors I can stay awake through." I said honestly. He nodded and pulled his chair closer to me.

"I know, J. Tara's the only other one coming back right now. They guys and Gemma can wait until tomorrow. Tara wanted to see you though. Plus she's working on the stuff for your transfer." He said, chewing on his toothpick. I nodded and plucked it out of his teeth.

"How many of these have you gone through in the past three day?" I asked, wondering if we were putting California into a toothpick shortage. He scowled and took it back.

"Damn, I thought they'd take out the pain in the ass bone while they were in there." He said with a wink. I laughed.

"Too bad." I said as Tara walked inside with a smile. "Hey there, accomplice." She rolled her eyes before laughing and squeezing my calf, not causing nearly as much pain as Barbie's hug.

"Hey. How are you feeling?" She asked, grabbing my chart from the end of the bed. She flipped through it slowly, nodding every so often.

"Okay, what's the novel say about it?" I asked as she put it back. She nodded and looked at my monitors.

"Says you're a fighter and that you beat the odds. You think you can check out after one run together? That hurts." She said playfully. I laughed and shook my head, glancing at her hand.

"Just giving you time to heal up. How's your hand?" I asked, hoping she had good news. I knew it was killing her to be out of work. She shrugged and hid her sad eyes behind a smile.

"You're winning this round, girly. Get some rest and don't let that one keep you awake. You're out of the woods." She said, giving my hand a squeeze and Happy a smile before leaving us alone again.

"Are you cold?" I asked Happy. He shook his head and stood up, removing his kutte so he could take off his hoodie. I grinned as he covered me up with it. I inhaled deeply, reveling in the smell of leather, smoke, and cologne that was Happy's smell. "Thank you, baby. I'm gonna take a nap. You should probably try to. You're starting to look like a tan white boy instead of your normal, glowing self."

"I don't glow, smart ass. Go to sleep. I'll be here." He said, slouching down in the chair. I pressed my red button and waited for a nurse to come by. I asked her for a pillow and a blanket for him before settling down in his hoodie and my own pillow. "I love you, Jaden."

"I love you more, Hap." I said with a yawn before falling back to sleep. I didn't have another dream like the one before I woke up earlier, which made it easier to rest. Seeing that tombstone once, even without getting to the name was enough for me. I just wanted to get back to Charming and back the fragment of normality we had before I went to Oakland with Barbie.

"No, I haven't talked to her about it yet. She just got out of a fucking coma, Tig. Yeah, I'll let you know when she's up." I woke up to the sound of Happy's hushed voice and the sun coming in through the curtains.

"Morning." I said with a yawn as he put his phone in his kutte. He leaned forward and took my hand, kissing the back of it. I felt the weight of my ring on my finger and smiled.

"Morning. Doctor came by earlier and said you can have whatever you want for breakfast. Apparently you're doing a lot better than they thought." He said with a smile. I nodded and looked into his dark eyes, glad that I got to see them again.

"What haven't you talked to me about yet? Oh and waffles." I said, shifting to try and wake my legs up. He grabbed his phone quickly and texted someone, no doubt bossing someone around to get me waffles.

"The Aztecs. They're done, J. It's over." He said, holding my hand and looking at my ring. For some reason, that made me a little sad. I was glad the war was over and we could get back to what was normal for us, but I had once regarded the Aztecs as my friends.

"Are they gone?" I asked, wanting to be clear. He looked me in the eyes and nodded slowly.

"Last night. Friends of ours went out and put an end to it. Jax didn't even get a say in it. They knew the longer it lasted, the higher the risk of their profits getting affected by us losing men or goods." He said openly. I nodded, not wanting or needing to know any more. It was over. That's what mattered.

"I made sure to get you extra bacon and sausage." Tig said as he burst into the room. I curled my lip reflexively and he laughed. "Kidding, just extra syrup."

"Thanks Tigster. No offense but both of you can stop eyeing my waffle. I'm starving." I said, ignoring the pain that came with the motions of eating to stuff my face. Tig moved his hand towards me slowly and I grabbed the plastic knife.

"She'll cut you over some fucking waffles." Happy said with a laugh. I nodded as I chewed and processed everything that had happened since getting shot.

 **a/n: Didn't want to keep you all waiting too long. It may be a little short but hopefully it answered (and created) some questions. Next chapter, we're going to have a time jump to Jaden getting out of Saint Thomas. Look for the update tomorrow or Thursday at the latest!**


	24. Chapter 24

"Seriously, I can walk." I snapped at the nurse that pushed a wheelchair into my room. I'd been in Saint Thomas for almost a week after spending another day in Memorial after I woke up. I never liked hospitals and I definitely didn't like everyone hovering over me like I was going to drop dead if they didn't help me with every little thing.

"I'm sorry, but it's our policy. You are still recovering, you know. You may not have as much strength as you feel like you do." She said with a sweet tone. I narrowed my eyes at her and pulled my shirt over my head slowly. Yeah, I could still feel some pain when I moved or coughed but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle.

"Fuck your policy. I'm walking out of her on my own two feet. I'll sign whatever the hell I need to." I said, refusing to give in. Happy walked into the room and shook his head at me before passing me my coffee.

"You sure you don't want to stay here for a few more days?" He asked dryly. I narrowed my eyes at him and fed my belt through the loops on my jeans. "You might as well take that out of here before she tries to throw it at you."

The nurse huffed and wheeled the chair away. I could hear her muttering under her breath, but couldn't make out exactly what she was saying. I sat in the chair and took a few drinks of the coffee before trying to tackle my shoes. Happy watched me closely as I winced and hissed.

"Jaden, just let me help you with this." He said, taking the shoe I hadn't managed to start on yet. I leaned back to take the pressure off my stomach and caught my breath.

"I can do it, Happy. I'm not that weak." I said, holding out my hand for the shoe. He scowled and squatted down in front of me.

"You're not weak, Jaden. You got shot last weak. Being hard headed isn't going to make anything better." He said, sliding my shoe on and tying both of them quickly. I sighed but didn't reply. I knew he was right but my ego was to proud to admit it out loud.

Happy held my hand as we walked out of the hospital and over to my car in the parking lot. He opened the passenger door for me and I grumbled under my breath about being able to drive, only to start using my inner monologue after the look he gave me. We bypassed the clubhouse and headed straight to my apartment in Lodi that we had been lucky enough to extend the lease on for three more months.

"Where's Millie?" I asked as we walked inside. Happy put my bag down next to the bed before watching me walk into the kitchen slowly.

"Tig offered to watch her until you," I cut him off and slammed the refrigerator shut.

"Until I what? Feel better? Heal? I'm fine, damnit." I immediately regretted snapping at him but I was tired of being babied. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Jaden, stop fighting me on this. You almost died. Do you get that, J? You almost died because you took a bullet that was meant for me. You can bitch and snap at me all you want but I'm not letting your stupid stubbornness put you back in the hospital. Trust me, I want you to be better as soon as possible." He said, sounding tired. I groaned at the dull pain as I twisted the cap off my water.

"Why, so you don't have to treat me like cracked glass?" I said, started to feel a little lightheaded. He shook his head and steadied me by pulling me against his chest.

"No, J. So you feel better and maybe I can stop feeling so fucking guilty." He said, his voice cracking a little. I pulled my chin up so I could look at him but he still had his sunglasses on.

"Don't, Happy. You didn't do this and I'd take as many bullets as I needed to if it meant you were still here to hold me. Just make sure they don't give me anesthesia next time." I said, grinning up at him. He shook his head with a smirk and kissed my lips.

"I'll see if I can't remember that. Come on, I may not be able to fuck you but I at least want to lay down with you in that big ass bed." He said, letting me go slowly so I could walk over to the bed by myself. I was starting to feel some pain and wondered if I had already over done it. Happy watched me, probably thinking the same thing but he didn't comment on it.

"This is a lot better than cuddling in the hospital bed." I said putting my hand on his arm that was wrapped around my chest. He nodded and kissed my shoulder.

"Yeah, it is. Go to sleep, J. I'll be right here when you wake up." He said softly. I nodded and closed my eyes, happy to be somewhere I considered home. It didn't take long before I was sound asleep.

"I told you, Tig. I'm not going." I woke up to the sound of Happy talking on the phone. He didn't exactly sound happy. "Damnit, keep saying that shit and we'll finish it in the ring. I don't need some whore sucking me off in a bar. No, I'm serious, I'm done with that shit."

I didn't know where he was talking about not going or why Tig was trying to piss him off, but it made me feel good to hear him say he didn't need that shit. I waited until he snapped the phone shut before I rolled over onto my back to look at him. He sighed and looked me in the eyes.

"Where are you not going?" I asked, curious to know what he was skipping. He kissed my lips and ran his hand down my arm and traced my crow with his thumb.

"A rally in Tacoma next week." He said nonchalantly. I knew that all of the members normally went to rallies and felt guilty.

"Happy, you can go if you want. I trust you." I said, surprised to see him scowl and get out of the bed. I'd obviously touched on a nerve that Tig had already been working on.

"If I wanted to go, I'd go, Jaden. Why is it so fucking hard for you or Tig to get that I want to be here instead? You want me to go, J? You want me to spend all fucking day shoving sweetbutts off because my old lady can't be there with me?" He asked, pacing the room. I opened my mouth and waited for an answer to come.

"Happy, I just meant that I trusted you to go if you wanted. I wasn't trying to make you." I said softly. He cut his eyes over at me and I saw the anger slowly start to leave.

"Are you hungry?" He asked, changing the subject abruptly. I nodded, not wanting to return to the conversation any time soon. He nodded and walked to the freezer. "Gemma made some eggplant lasagna for you."

"That sounds good." I said, slowly getting out of bed to go to the bathroom. He watched me carefully as he turned the oven on to heat the food up. I noticed how pale and tired I looked in the mirror and wished that I could just get back to normal. I washed my hands and headed out to the couch. "Happy, who were your friends that took care of the Aztecs?"

"Why are you thinking about that shit, J?" He asked, walking over and sitting on the large chair across from me. I hitched my shoulder, honestly just wanting to know to satisfy my curiosity. "Cartel."

"Oh. Do you owe them for it?" I asked, now worried that I'd gotten the club into even more trouble. He shook his head and lifted his shirt, showing me a new happy face tattoo.

"Already even, baby girl. Tara say if you could have beer or not?" He asked, standing back up again. I shook my head and leaned my head back to watch him grab two out of the fridge. "Guess we'll find out."

I nursed my beer slowly as we waited for the lasagna to be ready. I fiddled around on my laptop, looking for dog toys while Happy flipped through a Harley Davidson motorcycle. I propped my feet up on his legs and laid across the couch. When the timer finally went off, it woke me from a nap I hadn't meant to take. Happy was smirking as he got up to go get our dinner.

"What do you think about next October for a wedding?" I asked Happy as I let my plate cool off a little. He nodded and took a bite, hissing when it burnt his mouth. I tried not to laugh, knowing it was going to hurt if I did.

"I think it's a long ass time but if that's what you want then we'll do next October." He said, giving me a glare for laughing at his pain. I shrugged and took a careful bite after blowing on the fork.

"Just an idea. I like fall." I said with a smile. He set his plate down, frowning at it for harming him before taking a drink.

"What's wrong with this fall?" He asked. I considered the question and bit my lip. Nothing was particularly wrong with this fall, except that it gave me barely four months to plan and Barbie was going to be really, really pregnant by then.

"Nothing really, to be honest." I didn't want to say that it was because I'd promised Barbie she wouldn't be pregnant at my wedding. Even in my own mind, it sounded rude and inconsiderate of him. I knew it would be easier to explain our decision to Barbie than justify a delay in our marriage because of her pregnancy.

"Just let me know, beautiful." He said before turning on the tv and grabbing his plate, testing it carefully to see if it had cooled off enough to eat. I picked up my phone and texted Barbie, crossing my fingers that she wouldn't be pissed.

"Happy." I said, looking up from his lap that I was lying in. He looked at me and waited. "I miss my puppy."

"I'll go get her in the morning, okay?" He said, pushing my hair out of my face. I nodded and closed my eyes, wishing that Barbie would text me back. She'd responded a few times until I told her that we were looking at a day in October for the wedding. It could be coincidence, but she stopped responding after that. I tossed my phone on the coffee table and took Happy's hand in mine as we watched cartoons.

 **A/N: A little shorter than some other chapters but it cut off here so I could decide where to go with Jaden and Barbie's friendship. I also want to work on the Juice vs Jaden interaction to make sure that it's true to them both as well as Happy.**


	25. Chapter 25

Happy woke me up by letting Millie bark and whine in the doorway. I sat up straight and smiled brightly, despite the pain. Her tail looked like it was going to sprain from wagging so quickly. I crawled out of bed and lowered myself down to the floor slowly, welcoming her into my lap as she bounded over. Happy gave her a warning whistle and she dipped her head.

"She's fine, baby. You're not going to hurt me are you? Say nope, sure not." I said, kissing her snout. She caught me full on the mouth with a lick and I laughed, wiping it away quickly.

"You want your medicine?" Happy asked, sitting on the end of the bed near me. I shook my head and played with Millie's massive ears. "J, you don't need to hurt when you've got pain killers."

"I'm fine." I said, pulling myself off the floor as Happy tossed Millie her favorite bone. "Are you planning on going to the clubhouse today?"

"I wasn't, why?" He asked. Nothing got past him recently, which probably made sense since we'd been together for a while.

"I still need to talk to Juice about the baby." I said, readying myself for his objection. Instead, he surprised me by nodding and kissing my forehead.

"Get dressed and I'll take you over there." I did just that, although it took me longer than usual. I knew Happy wanted me to take the medicine the doctors had given me, but I didn't like how groggy and fuzzy everything seemed when I was on them.

I tried not to groan to loudly as I got out of the car at the clubhouse. Happy narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything as he walked to me and let me wrap an arm around his waist for support. Gemma was storming across the lot as we neared the clubhouse.

"Jaden! What the hell are you doing here? You should be resting at home!" She scolded me like a mother would and it rubbed me the wrong way. I shook my head and scowled.

"I'm fine." I said, resisting the urge to snap at her. Happy rubbed my lower back and opened the door for me. As soon as I walked in, everyone started clapping and yelling. Opie nodded to me with a smile and Tig hurried over to Happy and I. "Don't you play all nice with me, asshole. I know you wanted Happy to be your wing man in Tacoma."

"Aw, come on Jaden. What happens on the road stays on the road, right?" He asked with a laugh.

"No." Happy answered quickly. I hadn't worried about it, to be honest. Happy, however, seemed pretty upset that Tig would say that. I knew it was one of the unspoken club rules, what happens on the road stays on the road. It was something I had to be willing to accept in order to be in his world, but apparently he didn't want the pass.

"Have you seen Juice?" I asked quickly, hoping to divert any brewing fight between Tig and Happy. Opie nodded and pointed towards the dorms.

"Barbie just left for BJ's about thirty minutes ago." Opie filled me in, darting his eyes from Tig to Happy. I headed towards the hallway and heard Happy follow behind me. If I hadn't already agreed to let him come with me, I would have told him to beat it.

"Hey, Barbie just left." Tig said as he opened his door. It smelled like marijuana and it tickled my nose. He didn't look good.

"Yeah, I know. Opie told me. Are you okay, Juice?" I had come to the clubhouse with all intentions to tear into him about not claiming Barbie as his old lady and about the baby, but seeing him changed everything. He rubbed at his neck that was almost hidden by his hoodie and nodded.

"Hap, will you give us a minute?" I asked, knowing that he didn't have any obligation to. In the clubhouse, he called the shots and had the power. Unlike most members though, he never really used it. He treated me more like a wife than an old lady. "Please?"

"Yeah, J. I need to talk to Tig. I'll be back in a few minutes." He looked at Juice carefully and then back at me. "You so much as hurt her feelings and I'll put two between your eyes."

"What's up?" Juice tried to ask casually as I walked into his dorm. I grabbed the neck of his hoodie and pulled on it quickly. He had a healing bruise all around his neck and by the looks of it, it had been pretty bad in the beginning. I frowned and leaned against the door as he jerked away.

"Is this about the kid?" I asked, no longer able to think about anything but Juice and my best friend. He shook his head and sat down in his recliner, taking a hit from a water bong. "I know those bruises, Juice. You spend long enough out on the streets and you see shit."

"Yeah? I was riding up to the warehouse and didn't see a chain, Jaden. Sons don't kill themselves." He said defensively. I nodded and took a deep breath.

"You know what Sons and everyone else does though? They put all kinds of crazy shit in these little boxes in their heads. In this box, there's all the shit with the cartel. In this box, there's just normal drama and then there's a box for family or relationship shit. Then, way back in a corner with cobwebs and spiders, there's this box for all the fucked up shit that goes on. The thing is, you can only put so much in those boxes before they're full and all those feelings and thoughts have to go somewhere. The darker corner the box is in, the harder it is to close once it spills over." I said, watching his eyes look anywhere but at mine. He scoffed and shook his head.

"Yeah? You read that in some pamphlet at the hospital?" He snapped. I chuckled and shook my head. He sighed and looked at me for the first time since Happy had left. "I'm sorry, Jaden."

"Don't be. I didn't read it in a pamphlet though. It was something a friend told me when she found me on a rooftop in New York. If she hadn't showed up, I would have jumped." I said. I'd never told anyone about that before, not Happy, not Barbie, no one but that woman who found me on the rooftop and myself knew about that until I told Juice.

"Don't say anything to Barbie, okay? She believes the story about the motorcycle. I don't want to stress her out." He said, looking ashamed. I shook my head and walked over towards him slowly.

"Look, I'm not going to say anything to her because it's not my place, but you should. She loves you, Juice. If you won't let her help you, at least let her know." I said, searching his eyes. He nodded slowly and tried to give me a small smile. "I'm not going to pretend to understand why you tried to do it, but don't forget there's stuff to live for to. You've got a whole family that loves you and they'll do anything for you, Juice. Don't shut them out."

"Yeah, I know. Speaking of family, Barbie's just worried she'll look bad at your wedding. She's happy for you though. We both are." He pulled me in for a gentle hug and I gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks, Juice. I'm here if you want to talk or anything." I offered as we pulled apart. He nodded and followed me over towards the door.

"Help me figure out how to make things right with Barbie?" He asked. I nodded and gave him a smile.

"I'll put in a good word for you but if you want relationship advice, you may want to talk to Happy. He's the expert." I said, happy to see Juice laugh openly. As funny as it was, I was being completely honest. Happy was nursing a busted cheek when I walked out to the bar with Juice. "Your ego feel better?"

"Little bit. You okay?" He asked, tossing the bloodied rag into the garbage. I kissed his lips gently and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm tired though. Take me home?" I asked, looping my arm through his. He nodded and pulled his sunglasses out of his kutte.

"Come on, Ms. Daisy." I giggled at his pop-culture reference and teased him for it as we walked outside. "You're not going to tell me what that was about, are you?"

"No, it's not my place to. Just watch out for him, Hap." I said, kissing his cheek before easing down into my car. I watched him nod as he walked around to the driver's seat.

I walked into the apartment after my run with Millie and toed my tennis shoes off with sweat dripping down my brow. Happy rolled over in bed and grumbled about me running so early in the morning. It had been three weeks since I came home from Saint Thomas and I finally felt well enough to work out and start going into work a few nights a week, giving Barbie some time off.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for the run?" I asked, stripping out of my sweaty clothes. He groaned and climbed out of bed, following me into the shower.

"This is me getting ready." He said before pushing me against the tile wall and kissed the back of my neck, intentionally rubbing his stubble against my sensitive skin. I flinched and felt goose bumps run up and down my arms. "You smell good."

"I smell like sweat." I said as he moved his hand down between my legs. I felt the familiar tug at the ring and was glad that I'd talked the doctors into letting me keep it in. It was a pretty embarrassing conversation for them, but I'd rather them be embarrassed than me have to go through the pain of getting it re-pierced.

"You smell like you." He whispered, entering me quickly. I moaned and let my head fall back against his chest as he thrust harder and harder into me. He let his hands explore my body and I reveled in every moment of it, wishing that the moment could last forever. "I love you, Jaden."

"I love you, Happy." I whispered, just before reaching my release and tightening around him. He peppered my neck and shoulders with kisses as he reached his own a few thrusts later.

We finished showering, which included another round of sex, and started getting ready to go our separate ways for the day. I was toweling my hair dry and couldn't seem to keep my eyes off Happy. He turned to look for socks and must have noticed me watching him, because a smirk crossed his lips.

"Be careful, Happy. You matter to much to get hurt, okay?" I said, hugging him suddenly. He chuckled and squeezed me tightly.

"Okay, Jaden. If you need anything while I'm gone, just ask Rat. Hopefully we can get shit done quick and get back home." He mused, kissing me gently. I nodded and put my forehead on his chest, wishing he wasn't going to be gone for almost a week.

"October 19th." I said, lacing my fingers in with his. He nodded and squeezed my hands.

"I'll be there." He said nonchalantly. I laughed and snapped my teeth at him for teasing me. "Call me when you get to work, okay?"

I nodded and sighed, knowing that it was time to go our separate ways. He smacked me on the ass as I walked towards my car with a giggle. Memories of the first night I'd met him only made me laugh harder.

"What's got you in a bad mood?" Serenity asked as I walked into the dressing room for the fourth time since getting there an hour ago. Barbie walked in with a sad smile, causing me to forget her question all together.

"I know I've been whiny and jealous but I need an ice cream and sad movie night with my best friend." Barbie said as soon as the office door was closed. I nodded and gave her a hug.

"We'll even get cookie dough. I know you don't like him being gone any more than I like Happy being gone. I hate it." I admitted. She nodded and sighed shakily.

"Thanks for talking to him, by the way. He told me you convinced him to open up to me." Barbie said, her cheeks growing pink. I hitched a shoulder.

"What's family for?" I asked. Barbie nodded and rubbed her hand over her stomach. "We've got what, four more months?"

"Three and a half. We better start looking for dresses for when I look like a beached whale." She said with a laugh. I shook my head and gave her a wink.

"I think you'd be more like a dolphin than a whale." I teased, earning myself a hard pinch. We both laughed and I felt like things were finally getting back to normal. My phone started vibrating and I cursed under my breath. "Hey, baby. I'm sorry I forgot to call. I got really caught up with stuff here."

"What, glitter and vodka? I wanted you to call so I knew you were okay, Jaden. Rat's headed down there." He said shortly. I could tell he was pissed about something else by the clip in his voice.

"Whatever, just be careful, Hap. You're not the only one that gets to worry." I said before ending the call with an eye roll. Barbie laughed and nudged my shoulder.

"How dare he love you and care." She said. I laughed and nodded in mock agreement. "Juice calls almost every hour like if he doesn't hear from me then I'll have the baby and he won't be there."

"Men." We said in unison before giggling together.

 **My schedule at work has been messed up by training, yet again! I should be back to something that resembles normal on Saturday, so hopefully I can start updating faster after that. :) Thanks for reading and the continued support. What did you think about Jaden and Juice's talk? Do you think she can save him?**


	26. Chapter 26

Just like most every other morning, I took Millie out for a run when I woke up. We were passing the barbershop when Roosevelt stepped out and put his hat on. I moved to go around him, but he stepped right in my way. Millie stopped suddenly and it was all I could do to keep from tripping.

"Ms. Conner, you seem to be healing nicely. Not handling loaded weapons irresponsibly anymore, are you?" He asked, referring to the lie I told the police and the doctors about how I came to have a bullet wound in my stomach. I shook my head and wrapped Millie's leash around my hand, pulling her closer to me. "It's strange, we thought we had a lead on your house fire, but the suspect suddenly disappeared. Along with all of his known associates."

"So you're updating me to tell me you don't have any updates? That's some great work you all are doing. Glad to see my tax dollars at work. Why exactly are you in Lodi, anyways?" I said sharply. He chuckled and nodded his head.

"My favorite barber is here. You know your boyfriend is on parole, right?" He asked. I rolled my eyes and took my single earbud out, annoyed that I had to pause my music.

"Yeah, I've known that since before the first time you asked me if I knew. What's your point, Sheriff? I've got things to do." I was tired of having my time wasted and the sidewalks were heating up, which meant I needed to get Millie home before it hurt her paw pads.

"Well, I know he's not been staying in Charming much these days. I've got a few friends with the parole board and they'd probably agree that wherever your boyfriend is staying needs to be checked for any contraband. You know, illegal weapons, drugs, things like that." He said with a grin.

"Well you're more than welcome to get a warrant. Parole or not, you're going to need a warrant because he's not on the lease and he doesn't claim residency there. Now, if you don't mind, I need to get her home before it gets too hot." I said, walking away from him. He grabbed my upper arm as I passed by and I spun around to face him.

"Time's going to catch up with you, Jaden. Don't you think it'd be better if you're on the right side of the law when it does?" He asked, slowly letting my arm go. Millie positioned herself between us.

"No matter what side of the law I'm on, it'll be because I chose it. You can keep pushing me all you want but I'm not flipping on my fiancé or our family." I said before turning back towards home.

When I walked inside and let Millie off her leash, I was set on talking to Happy about what happened with Roosevelt, but one look at him told me that something was going on. He looked determined and I watched him check the magazines in both of his guns.

"Hey, is everything okay?" I asked, knowing the answer but hoping to get some more information from him. He nodded and put his gun in his shoulder holster.

"Yeah, J. I'm going to be late tonight though. We've got some stuff going on but after tonight it should get better." He said, waving me over to him. I believed that he wanted to believe that, but I also had a feeling that whatever the "stuff" was, it was dangerous. "I love you, Jaden."

"You know that just makes me worry more, right?" I said, hugging him and putting my cheek on his chest. I felt him nod as he wrapped his arms around me and planted a kiss in my hair.

"Yeah, well I just need you to know that." He said before stepping away. I bit my lip and watched him pull his kutte on and dig his keys out of his pocket. It had been less than a week since he'd gotten back from his first run after I got out of the hospital and things only seemed to be getting busier and busier.

"I love you to, Happy." I said as I watched him walk out to his bike. He turned around and gave me a smile with his nod. He started the bike and Millie and I watched him until he rounded the corner and disappeared from sight.

I walked inside and grabbed my laptop to start looking at possible bakeries for a cake. It was Monday, so the club was closed and I didn't have anything else to do besides work on wedding plans. The problem with planning the wedding was that it made me think about Happy, which made me worry.

After about an hour of flipping from website to website, I gave up and tossed my computer onto the couch and grabbed my phone. Barbie answered the phone on the first ring.

"Please come shopping with me! I need to find a dress and stop worrying." I begged, stepping into my boots. I heard Barbie laugh and groan, which she did often while standing up now.

"Pick me up. I don't feel like driving." She bossed. I smiled and grabbed my keys, patting Millie apologetically. I hated leaving her alone, but she wasn't exactly small enough to hide in my bag while shopping. I paused at the door and made sure my gun was loaded and easily accessible in the hidden compartment of my crossbody bag that Happy had gotten me a couple weeks ago.

When I got to Barbie's place, she was already walking out of the front door with a big smile. I knew she was looking forward to getting out of the house for something other than work. She lowered herself down into my car slowly and pushed her hair out of her face.

"Cute shoes." I said, smiling at her flats. She narrowed her eyes at me and I laughed as I backed out of the driveway. "I was being serious!"

"Sure you were. Are you actually going to try a dress on today? We've only got nine weeks to your big day." She said, cracking the window down a little. I'd been leaving the top up when she rode with me to make sure she didn't get too much sun. She hated being treated like she was a delicate flower, but I wanted my god-child to be perfect.

"Yeah, I am. I just want it to match who I am, you know? I don't want to look like some kid playing dress up." I said with a sigh. Just thinking about finding the right dress had my chest tightening.

"You're too sexy to ever look like a kid, J. We'll find something, okay?" She said, squeezing my hand that was resting near the gear shifter. I nodded and turned onto the highway. I found myself scanning the mirrors as we headed down the road, making sure no one was following us. It was just another sign of how much my life had changed since meeting Happy.

We walked into the dress store and I felt overwhelmed with all of the white surrounding me. Barbie looped her arm through mine and gave me a bright smile.

"Come on, we'll take it slow and find something you want." She said happily. A woman in a sharp pant suit walked over and introduced herself as Barbara. She asked me what kind of dress I was looking for and I froze. "She needs something sexy but classy."

The woman's brow rose a little at Barbie's words but nodded and led us over to a large rack. She stepped towards me with a measuring tape and took a few measurements, jotting them down as she walked around me. I bit my lip and waited nervously.

"How do you feel about lace?" Barbara asked, pulling out an off-white dress in a garment bag. I couldn't tell much about it through the bag, but I liked that it wasn't poofy.

"Lace is fine. I'd really like to avoid white if possible. Off-white or cream is fine, just not pure white." I said, starting to thumb through the rack. Barbie pulled a dress out and held it out towards me.

"Look! It has bling and shows off your back." She said, turning the dress around so I could see the back. I smiled and nodded as Barbara took it and a couple more to the dressing room. "Can she get some champagne?"

"Please!" I agreed with a laugh. Barbara smiled and nodded, heading off down a hallway. I flipped through a few more dresses before a dress across the store caught my eye. It was on a mannequin, so I could see exactly how it flowed from the lace, corset top to the flowing, tulle skirt. I bit my bottom lip and walked around the back of the mannequin, looking at if from all sides. "I need to try this one on."

"Of course you do." Barbie said with a little laugh. I smirked and drank my champagne while Barbara took it off the mannequin for me.

It was the first dress I tried on and I didn't have to try on any of the others. Barbie and her fucked up hormones started crying as soon as I stepped out of the dressing room. I couldn't resist the smile that spread over my face as I looked at myself in the mirror. It was perfect but more importantly, it was me.

"Do you think he'll like it?" I asked as I handed over a few hundred bills to Barbara. Barbie chuckled and nodded her head.

"Trust me, he'll love it. It's so sweet when he looks at you. Normally, he looks all serious or pissed off. When he looks at you though, he looks like he really should be named Happy. His eyes get all warm and he actually smiles." Barbie said. I blushed a little and nodded, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

We were walking out to my car when my phone started vibrating in my back pocket. It was a task, holding the dress and answering the phone, but I managed to do so just in time. Barbie took the dress from me and put it in the trunk carefully.

"Jaden, sweetie, is that you?" A female voice that I didn't recognize asked. I pulled the phone away from my ear to look at the phone number, it was out of state. I twisted my mouth and put my phone back up to my ear.

"This is Jaden, who is this?" I asked, already having a gut feeling about the answer. Barbie raised her brow at me and I shook my head.

"It's Momma, baby. I miss you so much! I never thought I'd talk to you again. Where are you?" I bit my lip and shook my head as my vision started to blur. I didn't want to talk to her again. I was just fine with how things were.

"Where did you get this number?" I asked. Barbie stepped closer to me and searched my eyes. I pulled my sunglasses down over my eyes, using a trick out of Happy's book.

"My lawyer gave it to me, sweetie. Don't be mad. We sent you away because we love you." She said. I laughed darkly and pushed myself upright from leaning on the car.

"I was fifteen! Go to hell." I threw my phone against the brick wall across from me and watched it shatter before bouncing on the ground. I started looking for things and counting them, trying to ground myself before having a panic attack.

I was getting close to finishing off a bottle of vodka when Happy came walking into the clubhouse along with the rest of the club. He looked tired, as did everyone else. Tig gave me a somber nod before grabbing a bottle of beer for himself and taking the seat next to me. Happy eyed the bottle on the bar infront of me and raised his brow.

"What's wrong?" He asked, sounding tense and distant. I shook my head and took another drink, straight from the bottle. Happy sighed and took the bottle, finishing it off himself. I rolled my eyes and searched my bag for a joint. He shook his head and gently turned my chin towards him.

"Do you want to talk about what happened tonight and why all of you look rode hard and put up wet?" I asked, knowing the answer already. He narrowed his eyes and grabbed my wrist, pulling me along behind him and towards the dorm. Millie hopped off the bed and looked up at him.

"Why are you here and not at home? What's going on, Jaden?" He couldn't keep the clip out of his voice and I scoffed.

"What, now I can't come to the clubhouse?" I snapped, not wanting to talk about what had happened earlier. I'd already cried with Barbie and gotten sadness out of the way. Now I was just pissed.

"Damnit, Jaden. I've got enough shit going on without you being a bitch. You know you can come to the clubhouse. I've got church. You can chill out and get over your shit before I get done." With that, he walked out of the room and slammed the door behind him. I held up both middle fingers before throwing a pillow against the wall.

Millie started whining and nudged me with her head as I sat down on the edge of the bed with my elbows on my knees. I hated that I'd let my mother upset me enough to get drunk and then fight with Happy. I hated fighting with him. This was the first time it'd gotten this bad though.

"Can I come in?" It was Barbie's voice coming through the door. I sighed and agreed, not really keen on the idea of talking to anyone. She picked up the pillow that was laying on the floor and tossed it over to me. I put it back in place and looked up at her. "I've never heard you two fight like that."

"That's because we've never fought like that. He—" I was cut off by bullets ripping through the outer wall. Barbie screamed and went down quickly. I laid down on top of her and covered my head with my arms, hoping to get out of this without another bullet wound.

When the bullets stopped, I could still hear shooting, no doubt the club returning fire. I rolled off of Barbie who was crying hard. She had her knees bent up towards her stomach and seemed to be in a lot of pain. I shook my head and dropped to my knees beside her. There was blood seeping through her shirt at her shoulder, but I could tell something was wrong with the baby by the way she was curled up and screaming.

"Hey, hey, breathe for me, okay. Breathe." I said, taking her hand and holding it tightly. Her pupils were wide and I could see the fear in her eyes. She coughed and blood sprayed from her mouth. "Don't try to talk, okay. You're going to be okay. I promise."

She nodded and screamed again, just as Happy and Juice burst into the room. I looked up at Happy and felt my bottom lip start to quiver. Juice slammed down onto his knees on the other side of Barbie and pulled her into his lap. She looked up at him and I glanced down, seeing blood on the floor near her legs as well. Tara rushed into the room and started ordering Juice to help her with towels and keeping Barbie calm.

"The ambulance is on the way." Gemma said, rushing into the room. I felt helpless as Happy pulled me to my feet and started looking me over. He was asking me if I was hit but didn't honestly know. I couldn't feel anything besides fear.

"Is she going to be okay?" I asked, wishing Happy would lie to me, just this once. He didn't answer and just pulled me out of the way as the stretcher rolled in.

 **A/N: Sorry for the cliff hanger but I'm at a turning point for this story and trying to decide which way to go. Thank you all so much for the reviews and I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well! I'm going to brainstorm and work on updating my other stories for at least a couple days.**


	27. Chapter 27

"You've got to eat something, J. Starving yourself isn't helping anybody." Happy said as he rubbed my back. I was in one of my five positions I'd been in for the past four hours at the hospital. He preferred one of my three seated positions since the other two were pacing or standing like a statue. I didn't look over at him as I shook my head and continued staring at the tile beneath me with my elbows on my thighs.

"This is my fault." I said, speaking some of my first words since we got to the hospital. Happy's hand stopped rubbing my back and I heard him sigh. "If I hadn't started that fight with you, Barbie wouldn't have come in the room to check on me. It's my fault she got hit."

"Jaden, you didn't fire the rounds. You didn't start this damn war. It's not your fault." He said gruffly, pulling me over to him so my head was on his chest. A chill went up my spine and I felt my skin prick with goosebumps. "You cold, J?"

"A little. Do you think you could get me some hot chocolate?" I asked, glancing up at him. He nodded and tapped Rat's leg with his boot, passing along my order and adding a muffin to it. I hadn't meant for Rat to go get it, but I was glad Happy wasn't leaving me. "My Mom called me. That's why I was being a bitch."

"Should of just told me that. How did she get your number?" He asked. I could feel him tensing beneath me and knew he wasn't pleased with what he'd just learned.

"She said her lawyer gave it to her. I don't know why though. After all these years?" I asked. This was the first time I was able to sit and think about it logically. First I was sad, then I got drunk and got pissed. Happy held me to him even tighter and rest his chin on top of my head.

"I don't know. We need to get you a prepaid though." He said as Rat walked over with a cup and a brown paper bag. I gave him a little smile and sat up, taking both. Happy gave him a nod and a quick thank you.

"Family of Meredith White?" A doctor asked, walking into the waiting room. Tara stood up and went over to talk to him. Like me, Meredith had no family to speak of. I watched them speak and did my best to read lips. Juice lingered over closer to them and rubbed at the back of his neck.

Tara eventually nodded and turned away from the doctor as he went back through the double doors he'd come out of. I wasn't able to wait any longer and put my cup and muffin on the table before going over to where Tara was talking to Juice. He didn't look good.

"She'll have to stay here for at least the next couple months, maybe more. She's a little fighter like her mother, Juice." Tara said, squeezing his arm before he turned away and stormed down the hall. I followed him with my eyes until he was out of sight, with Chibs following behind him.

"So?" I asked, looking at Tara for some answers I'd been waiting for. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"Barbie just got out of surgery. They had to go ahead and take the baby or else neither of them would have had a chance." I had a feeling she was being more straight forward with me than she had with Juice. "Barbie lost a lot of blood but she'll be okay in a couple weeks. The baby's very early and has a long fight in front of it."

"So, it's a girl?" I asked. Barbie hadn't wanted to know the gender before the baby came. Tara nodded. "What're her chances?"

"Right now? We're looking at about thirty percent. She's healthy other than being early." Tara said with a small smile. I nodded and did my best at returning the smile, but even I knew it wasn't fooling anyone. "Barbie is still in ICU, but I think I may be able to get you and Juice back there in the morning."

"Thanks." I said before we shared a quick hug and she returned to Jax to share the news. Happy walked over to me and let myself melt into his arms. "Barbie should be okay but they had to take the baby early."

"Is it a boy or girl?" He asked, looking down at me. The question surprised me, but I told him anyways. He nodded. "That's good. Juice wanted a daughter."

"Can we go home, Hap? I feel helpless here." He nodded and waved at Rat to follow us out. I stopped by the bike and sighed. "We're on lockdown, aren't we?"

"Yeah, but we can go to the apartment for tonight. Rat and I will take shifts." He said, handing me my helmet. It didn't make me happy to hear that he wasn't going to be sleeping next to me all night, but I was thankful we could at least go home.

"I love you, Hap." I whispered into his ear before he started the bike. He squeezed my knee with his right hand before twisting the throttle and pulling out of the parking lot and heading for Lodi.

"Shoot first, kid. I'll take over in a few hours." Happy said as we walked inside. Rat shook his head and gestured inside.

"I got it, Happy. Don't worry about it." I thought it was a sweet offer, but Happy narrowed his eyes at the prospect. I squeezed his hand and he looked over at me, catching my questioning look. He rolled his eyes and looked back at Rat.

"Fine. If you get tired, then come get me. I'm not letting you falling asleep putting my ol' lady in danger, got it?" Happy growled. Millie barked, as if she was agreeing with her daddy.

"Yeah, Hap. I got it. You can count on me." Rat said with a nod. I yawned and dropped Happy's hand, walking further inside and grabbing one of his shirts to sleep in. I heard the door close as I brushed my teeth and stepped out of my pants.

"If he's going to be a Son one day, shouldn't you trust him, Hap?" I asked, rinsing out the bowl of the sink. He pulled his shirt over his head before shaking it no.

"Not with you, Jaden. I don't trust anyone enough to leave your safety in their hands. You matter too damn much." He said, brushing my hair out of my face. I gave him a little smile, feeling somewhat guilty for smiling when my best friend and her baby were in intensive care.

"If anything ever happens to me." I started until Happy shook his head and turned away from me. I pursed my lips and caught his arm. "Hap, listen. If anything ever happens to me."

"Stop, Jaden. I'm not listening to this shit. You and Ma are the most important people I've got. She's not gonna be around much longer so I'm not listening to that shit." He said, shaking his head and turning the sheets down. I sighed and let the topic drop, realizing how much I'd upset him.

"Are you sure we should be having a welcome home party, Gemma?" I asked as I set the cake on her kitchen counter. She raised a brow at me and I sighed as I put my bag down. "I mean, Anya isn't coming home yet, so I'm not too sure how up for a party Barbie is going to be."

"We've got to celebrate what we can, sweetheart. It's not like we're throwing some big party. It's just a dinner with cake." She said, a hand planted firmly on her hip. I knew there was no changing Gemma's mind, so I just nodded and started helping with dinner.

Barbie hadn't been in the best of spirits lately. She had a couple good days where she'd be hopeful and almost happy, but it wasn't often. Normally, she'd talk about how she could have avoided being in the situation by just taking Juice's money and getting and abortion or at least leaving Juice and never coming around the club after he offered her the money. In her mind, those should have been the choices she chose between. In her mind, it would have kept her tiny daughter safe or at least free from the battle she was fighting, just to live.

"Who was that, sweetie?" Lyla asked as I declined a call on my cell phone. I still kept it, even though I had a prepaid that I used with most everyone. Happy wasn't pleased to hear that I'd kept my old phone, but understood that until we could get a landline for the club, I needed it for business calls. I shook my head and gave her a smile.

"This person keeps misdialing a phone number and calling me." I lied with a small smile to sell it. Lyla nodded and didn't press me on it any further. The calls from my mother had been getting more and more frequent from the first time we'd talked two weeks ago. At first, it was a call every five days or so. Now, we were up to about four calls a week. I never answered any of them after the first.

I noticed Gemma watching me closely as I cleared out the missed call notification and put the phone back in my pocket. Instead of comment on it, I decided to move on to setting the table with Tara, who also wasn't so sure a welcome home dinner was the best idea.

"She wasn't too happy about leaving the hospital when I talked to her this morning." Tara said, putting a plate down at each chair. I nodded in agreement and started arranging the silver ware.

"Yeah, I can't even imagine how I would feel." I said, shaking my head. Tara paused for a second and looked over at me.

"Have you and Happy thought about having kids?" She asked. I shook my head, not offering any explanation. I didn't want to dive in to the ins and outs of why that wasn't an option for us. Neither of us continued or changed the conversation and finished setting the table.

When Happy, Tig, and Chibs followed Jax inside, Gemma pulled Happy to the side before I could even get over to greet him. It didn't take a genius to realize that she was probably filling him in on me declining a call and talking to Lyla about it. I wanted to roll my eyes and grumble about it, but in a way, she probably thought she was doing the right thing by telling Happy. However, she probably thought it was some other man calling me instead of my estranged mother.

Happy looked at me during his whole conversation with Gemma and I could see that he barely spoke a word to her. I didn't break eye contact with him. I knew he'd be upset that I was still getting calls, but I didn't have anything to hide from him otherwise.

"We'll talk about it later." He growled, pulling me into his arms and kissing my lips gently. I nodded and kissed him back, just happy to see him safe. He had gone with Chibs, Tig and Jax to take care of an issue related to the shooting and I'd worried for the past four days.

"I'm sure we will. I have something to show you when we get home." I said, giving him a big smile and something to look forward to. He tried to fight back a smirk, but eventually failed before kissing me on the forehead.

"They just pulled in." Chibs said, walking over to us and handing Happy a beer. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I knew would be a less than joyful reaction from Barbie.

"What is this?" She asked, walking in to see everyone there to greet her. Juice had his hand on her lower back and tried to give her a reassuring smile. I sighed and left Happy's side to go see her. "Was this your idea?"

"Definitely not." I said, shaking my head. Her normally bright eyes were dull and there was no trace of a smile on her full lips. It was like talking to a shell of my best friend. "There is cake though."

"Great." She groaned, letting Juice lead her towards the dining room. I hung back and wrapped my arms around my chest. Happy saw me, not moving, and walked over.

"There's nothing you can do, Jaden. No point in letting it get to you. She's gonna need time." He said, sounding certain. I took a deep breath and felt it hitch in my chest. I eventually nodded and followed him into the dining room. I took my seat next to Barbie and gave her knee a little squeeze as Happy sat down on my other side.

"We're all so happy that you're okay, sweet heart. Soon we'll have an even bigger party for that little princess of yours." Gemma said with a genuine smile. Barbie brought her eyes up from her empty plate slowly.

"Yeah, maybe." Barbie said so quietly that I could barely even hear her. I frowned, wishing I could promise her things were going to get better. The truth was, Anya still had a long road ahead of her and nothing was certain. Happy glanced across me to Barbie and I noticed the corner of his lips turn down.

 **After a longer than anticipated wait: Without You is back! I'm sorry about the delay but hope you all like this update. I will do my best to update more often now that my schedule is back on track! Let me know what you think! Big shout out to all of my reviewers! You all are the best!**


	28. Chapter 28

The dinner was a complete disaster. Barbie and Juice ended up leaving before Gemma even served the cake, not that anyone was really surprised. Gemma started to say something about her being ungrateful, but quickly retracted the statement when Tara and I both gave her warning looks. After that, Tig and Jax got into it about something that happened on the run. Even without knowing the details, I could tell neither one of them were happy with the outcome and Tig blamed Jax.

"I thought that dinner was never going to end." I said as we walked into my apartment. Happy followed me inside, but didn't comment before letting Millie out and grabbing a beer. I knew what was coming, but that didn't make me want to talk about it any more.

"I'm guessing its your ma calling you and not some other man like Gemma thinks." Happy said, leaning his back against the cabinets near the sink. I sighed and grabbed a beer for myself and nodded as I popped the top. He shook his head and took another drink.

"What? I haven't answered any of them since that first time." I said, defending myself. He held the bottle by the neck and propped his elbows on the counter behind him. It irritated me that he wasn't saying anything. "What?"

"You think you could have told me about it?" Happy asked, cutting his eyes over at me. I sighed and shook my head.

"To what end, Happy? I still need this phone for the club that I'm running by myself right now and I haven't answered her calls, so what good would telling you she was calling me do?" I asked, growing agitated.

"It would get the shit off of you, Jaden. You try to keep all your problems to yourself but pull every damn thing out of me. Think I might want to help you, J?" He spat, slamming his beer on the counter so hard that it fizzed and spilled over onto the counter. I scoffed and threw the bottle into the sink before storming off after him.

"How are you going to help, Happy? Answer the phone and tell her to stop calling? Make me get rid of my phone? She's my mother to deal with, not yours." I yelled as he lit a cigarette inside, something I hated. He nodded and dropped his lighter in his pocket.

"You're damn right it's not my Ma. She never would have dropped me like a bad habit." He said, stepping outside. I blinked after him and felt my chest tightening.

"Well I'm real fucking sorry you have to deal with the bad habit now." I choked out. Happy raised his brow at me and seemed surprised. I couldn't deal with it anymore, I felt myself start crying, which only made me angrier.

"Jaden, that was about your dead beat parents, not you. Trust me, if anyone was a bad habit when they were young it was me. Come here." He reached out for me and I shook my head, to upset to listen to him. I whistled for Mille and headed to the couch without another word to him.

"How long are you going to be pissed at me for what you think I said?" Happy asked after the third commercial break in the show I was watching. I hitched my shoulder without looking at him. It wasn't until I heard him moving around that I turned to see what he was doing.

"Where are you going?" I asked, seeing him with his helmet in his hand and his kutte back on. He stopped with his hand on the door and looked me in the eye. "Don't leave, Happy."

"Why not? You obviously don't need me. Hell, you're having a one sided fight with me. Why do I need to be here for that?" He asked. If I hadn't known him, I would have thought the tone in his voice was anger instead of pain. I slipped out from under Millie and walked over to him.

He let me take his helmet out of his hands and put it back on the hooks by the door without a fight. I decided to continue and put my hands in his, again he didn't fight me. His eyes moved down to mine and I saw what little anger he was holding on to start to dissipate. I raised up to my toes and kissed his cheek softly.

"You think I'd want to marry you if I thought you were a bad habit?" He growled moving his hands from mine to my lower back. I shrugged and looked away from him. "Hey, listen to me, Jaden. You're probably the best habit I've got. You're the light in the darkness, baby."

"That was kind of cheesy." I said with a smile. He rolled his eyes and gave me a growl before scooping me up in his arms and carrying me towards the bed.

"I'll show you cheesy, brat." He tossed me down and grabbed my sides, making me giggle and kick out at him. He smirked and grabbed my legs in one arms and continued tickling me with his free hand. I shrieked and Millie barked. "Stay out of it, hound."

"You're an ass, Happy Lowman!" I snapped at him once he finally stopped ticking me and tossed Millie a ball to fetch. He nodded and sat down on the end of the bed. I crawled up behind him and climbed up to my knees, wrapping my arms around his neck from behind. He looked over and gave me a quick kiss before throwing the ball again. "I love you."

"I love you too. Even if you are crazy." He said with a smile. I narrowed my eyes and bit his shoulder for good measure. Instead of having the desired effect, he started laughing. I rolled my eyes and leaned back from him, pulling my top and bra off quickly. When he turned around, a boyish grin came across his face. "That for me?"

"I thought you didn't share." I said with a wink. He nodded and climbed over me, pinning me down to the bed underneath him.

"You know I don't." He lowered his mouth down to my not pierced nipple and sucked it into his mouth and he took the ring in the other in his fingers and tugged at it. I moaned and ran my nails over his scalp, which he loved. Millie huffed, knowing what was going on and headed to her bed in by the couch.

"That feels good, baby." I moaned as he rocked his hips, hitting my g-spot over and over. He nodded and kissed me deeply, twisting his tongue around mine. I gripped him with my nails, just hard enough to leave little crescent shaped indentions for a few minutes after we were done. As much as he loved to mark me up with biting, I loved scratching him, though you could never see it with his tattoos.

"Cum for me, Jaden." He growled into my ear. His wish was my command and I tightened around him in pulses as I found my release. Happy moaned and gripped my hips tightly as he slammed into me one more time.

When I returned from the bathroom, Happy was already in bed waiting for me. He knew I missed sleeping with him while he was gone and I knew he was tired from the run. Without a word, I slipped underneath the covers and scooted up close to him so he could wrap his arm around me.

"Jaden, we're almost out of vodka." Tiki said, walking over to me as I tried to rearrange the performance schedule. I nodded and scribbled out Serenity's name only to rewrite it closer to the top.

"What kind?" I asked absent mindedly. She twisted her mouth and hesitated until I looked over at her. "Well? Top shelf? Bottom shelf? Some where in between?"

"All of the above? We have a bottle of Ketel One and a bottle of Tito's and that's it. Did they leave it off the truck?" She asked. I sighed and turned a few pages on the clipboard.

"Fuck, no. I left it off the order. Try to push gin drinks or light room if they want clear liquor. I wish Barbie was here." I whined. I didn't miss Tiki mumbling under her breath that she did to. I couldn't blame her. When it came to people management, I could hold my own but order supplies and doing the books was all Barbie.

"Uh, Jaden, there's someone here that's asking for you." Serenity said, walking into the backstage area and stepping out of her boots to change into heels.

"Who? Are they wearing a kutte?" I asked. She shook her head with a disgusted look.

"Hell no. It's some cop. You need me to get Esai or your man down here?" She asked, standing tall like a real ol' lady. I shook my head and put the clipboard down.

"No, thanks though. It's probably just a routine check." I said with an unconvincing smile. Serenity pursed her lips and shook her head before walking up to the stage curtains.

"Roosevelt. I didn't really peg you for the strip club type." I said with a smirk. He was standing right by the doors and was doing his best to avoid looking at the stage. "We've got rooms for private dances but I charge cops double, sorry."

"I'm sure you are. Just thought I'd drop by and give you a heads up. Your mother had an appeal hearing last week. Verdict came in a few hours ago. She's out by the end of the night." He said with a smug look.

"What? How?" I was too caught off guard to even come up with a smart response. He nodded and fought a smile.

"Thought you might have changed your tune. I don't know the details but it comes down to the evidence falling through." He said with a shrug.

"Why do you care so much about my mother? Don't you have some fabricated gang problem to deal with? Why do you care about a girl from Lodi and her mother that hasn't been in the picture for years?" I asked, tired of the games. He nodded and gave me a smile.

"Well, the way I see it, you're fairytale with the felon is going to get a wrench thrown in it. That makes me happy." He said.

"Fuck you. Get out of my club." I said, turning my back on him and heading towards the office. Rat stood up from a table and I gave him a nod, letting him know that it was in his hands. I was torn between calling Happy and waiting to tell him, but knew the better option from our fight last night alone.

As soon as I sat down at my desk to stop the room from spinning and to call him, I got a text message from an unknown number.

 _Can't wait to see you, sweetie! Love-Mom._

 **I know it's shorter than the others but it is setting up some things that are about to go down! Look forward to a VERY protective Happy. Will Jaden be her normal, tough self or will she need her new family's help to get through the coming weeks? Stay tuned :)**


	29. Chapter 29

"I've got to head home. Can I trust you to lock up and drop the cash drawers in the safe?" I asked Serenity with my bag on my shoulder. She took one look at me and nodded quickly.

"I've got you, Jaden. Esai is on his way over, why don't you take Rat with you? No offense but you don't look like you can make it all the way to Lodi." She said, squeezing my arm lightly. As hesitant as I was to hire her in the beginning, I was glad I did. She was a good person and pretty smart to.

"Yeah, probably should. I'll make this up to you." I said with a little smile. She laughed and shook her head.

"I won't let you. Be careful." She pecked me on the cheek and stepped back into the dressing room. I felt confident leaving the club in her hands for the rest of the night, which was a relief. I didn't need anything else to worry about.

"Rat, come with me, please. I need to get home." I said softly. He gave me a quick look over and nodded, rising to his feet and motioning towards the door. I appreciated Rat. He never asked too many questions and was always willing to help. I waited for his bike to start before backing my car out of my normal spot and pulling out onto the main road.

I took a deep breath and called Happy with my car's blue-tooth. Normally, I hated using it but I didn't trust myself to drive with one hand. Rat's headlight was shining into my car, letting me know he was there. It made me feel safer, but not completely.

"Jaden, what's going on?" Happy asked, his voice tense. I should have known Rat would have sent him a message that we were headed back early.

"I can't get into it on the phone while I'm driving, Hap. I need you. Are you home or at the clubhouse?" I asked, turning onto the highway.

"Clubhouse. Just come here, Jaden. I'll drive us home after you tell me what's going on." He said. I didn't necessarily want to be around everyone else, but the clubhouse was at least thirty minutes closer.

"Okay, Hap." I said before ending the call. In less than ten more minutes, we were pulling onto the lot to find Happy sitting on top of a picnic table waiting for us. He gave Rat a nod as I backed my car into the spot next to Barbie's car that I didn't expect to see there.

"Here, what's going on?" Happy asked, handing me a lit joint. I took a decent hit and let it burn in my lungs for a minute before blowing it out and then diving into everything that had happened. Happy went from calm, to angry, to pissed as I told him about Roosevelt and then the message from my mother. "She didn't say when she'd be here or anything?"

"No, this is it." I said, handing my phone over. He nodded and stood up, pointing towards the clubhouse. When we walked inside, I found Barbie sitting at the bar with Juice and Tig. I gave he a weak smile, which she tried to return as she held up her beer.

"Juice, need your help with something." Happy said, nodding towards the computer set up by the chapel. Juice nodded and gave Barbie's hand a little squeeze before leading the way over. "I need you to trace this message and do what you can to find out where the phone is now, but it's probably a prepaid. Run everything you can to see where Stella Conner is."

"Conner?" He asked, glancing up at me before closing his mouth and nodding. "I'll do what I do best. You mind talking to Barbie, Jaden? She refuses to go back to the hospital to see Anya."

"She's dealing with enough shi-" Happy started before I shook my head and put my hand on his arm.

"No, please, Hap. I need a distraction and she's my best friend." He didn't look pleased, but nodded anyways. "Thanks for your help, Juice."

I left Happy and Juice to their research-well, Juice to his research and Happy to watching over his shoulder, and joined Barbie at the bar. She glanced over at me and gave me a slight nod. I didn't even know where to start. Trying to keep her hopes up when they were both in the hospital, a couple rooms away from one another was hard enough.

"You can save it, Jaden. Until they tell me I can pick her up or pick out her casket, I'm not going to the hospital." Barbie said, not even sounding like her self. I gaped at her, shocked that she had even said that. She looked over at me and I saw tears in her eyes. I didn't know what to say, so I did the only thing I could do and dragged her off the stool and into my arms. "I don't want her to die, Jaden."

"I know you don't, doll. None of us do." I said, feeling her tears soaking through my shirt and wetting my shoulder. I smoothed her hair and held her tightly as she sobbed heavily. Juice looked back over his shoulder from the computer and I gave him a little nod. "I was going to go see her tomorrow. Why don't you go with me?"

"I can't, Jaden. She's so tiny and helpless. It's my fault she's in there." She said with a sniffle. I ground my teeth together to try and keep myself from getting angry. I didn't know what she was going through. I'd never be in her shoes.

"No, it's not your fault, Barbie. You did everything for her to be healthy. Remember all those nasty greenish brown smoothies you drank and how you avoided junk food? From the first day you knew you were pregnant, you've done everything right. Just because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time doesn't mean what happened is your fault. If you want to go there then it's my fault for fighting with Happy and letting you in my room that night. So there, it's my fault, not yours." I spoke quickly and she looked at me like a deer in headlights.

"Jaden, it's not." She said, shaking her head. I nodded and ran my hand through my hair to get it out of my face.

"It is more than yours, so go see Anya." I said as Happy and Juice walked over. Happy had some papers in his hands and he didn't look happy at all.

"Do you think it's too late to go tonight?" Barbie asked quietly. Juice smile his megawatt smile and shook his head before wrapping her into his arms.

"No way, we've got someone on the inside, remember?" He asked, causing her to laugh a little. I forced a smile and watched them walk out of the clubhouse before turning to Happy.

"She rented a car earlier. I don't know how the fuck she's got all this money available but Juice said she's got about fifteen grand in the bank. She got a hotel about an hour ago." He said, handing me the papers. I looked through a couple of them before starting to feel sick.

"She's already near Denver? So she could be here in what, a day? Two days?" I asked. My chest was tightening and my vision tunneling. My animosity about my mother being the reason I was panicking only made things worse.

"Jaden, look at me." Happy said, pulling my chin up. I was breathing rapidly as I looked into his eyes. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you, okay? Say the word and I'll green light her right now. She'll never make it into California."

"That's not funny." I said, actually considering his offer. He shook his head and rubbed my cheek with his thumb.

"I wasn't kidding. We know she's coming here, baby. You gotta decide what you want to do. Whatever it is, we'll make happen." He said, kissing my forehead. I shuttered and pressed my head into his chest. "This a bad time to tell you that I found a place?"

"No, not at all. I need good news in my life right now. Can we go look at it in the morning?" I asked, hoping to move closer to Charming as soon as possible. He nodded and nodded towards the door. I nodded in agreement and led him out of the clubhouse with my hand in his. We both seemed more than ready to get home.

"I'm glad I don't dance anymore." I groaned as I got out of bed. Happy grunted with his head still on the pillow. "You make me too damn sore to even think about doing any pole work. I do need to start working with some weights though. I feel flabby."

"Jaden, the flabbiest thing about you is that mouth of yours that won't let me sleep." Happy grumbled. I scoffed and threw a pillow at him, hitting him right in the back with a thud. "Your fucking pillows are too heavy."

"Shut up and get out of bed. We're meeting with the realtor in an hour." I said, stepping into a pair of black shorts. He groaned again and tossed the sheets and blanket off.

"We're taking my bike, so wear jeans." He grumbled as he passed by me to go to the bathroom. Millie growled playfully and I couldn't help but laugh at her mimicking him.

"See, even she knows you're grumpy." I called out to him, scratching her behind the ears. She almost came up to my hips as she stood on four paws and I wondered if she was ever going to stop growing. Happy gently grabbed her cheeks and played with her as I changed into jeans and a lace shirt.

"Juice is monitoring her credit cards so we can get an idea of when she'll get here." Happy said as he laced his boots. I had avoided the topic as much as I could and just nodded to let him know I heard him. I knew there would come a time when I couldn't ignore it anymore, but I at least wanted to see the house and enjoy that without her tainting that experience. "Oh and there's going to be ten from Tacoma for the wedding."

"Okay, thanks." I said, marking it down in my planner. He nodded and shrugged his kutte on. I scooped out some food for Millie and we were on our way to Charming to see the place Happy had found and we would hopefully be moving into.

We pulled up to a smaller gray home with a bright yellow door and white shudders. The driveway led into a garage and the lawn was nicely landscaped with a fence extending out from one side of the house, no doubt fencing off the back yard. I smiled, already liking it. The realtor shook both our hands and turned us loose to explore the house and come back to her with any questions we had.

"This room would be great for your Ma if she wanted to visit." I said, walking into a spacious room that had a eastern facing bay window. He nodded and walked into the attached bathroom. "Oh! She'd love that shower."

"That's weird, J. Don't mention Ma and showers together like that." I rolled my eyes at him and continued exploring the house. It had a large master suite on the opposite side of the house with a nice walk in closet. The living room was a little smaller than our previous house but bigger than what I had now. "Kitchen's been updated."

"Yeah, I like the granite. Oh, look at the back yard!" I slid the glass door open and stepped out onto the large wooden porch overlooking an even larger back yard with a nice shade tree towards the back. Happy nodded and lifted the lid to the grill of the outdoor kitchen. "Is this place expensive?"

"Nah, it's less than what we got from insurance for the first place, J. Do you like it or do you want to keep looking? We can change the color of the front door." He suggested, raising a brow at my appalled expression.

"We'll do no such thing! It's a happy and welcoming looking front door. I like it, Hap. It's close to the clubhouse and a hell of a lot closer to BJ's than my apartment." I said, looping my arm through his. He nodded and we headed back out to see the realtor. Three hours later, we had a closing date set up for the end of September.

"Buying a house and getting married all in just over a month? I need to get busy with packing and finishing the planning." I said with a smile as we walked out of the realty office. Happy was reading a message on his phone and didn't seem to hear me. I saw the serious look on his face as we got to the Dyna. "What did the message say?"

"Juice said her card was just used to get gas on the California border. It's kind of now or never, J. What do you want me to do?" He asked sitting on his bike and looking at me. I sighed and bit my bottom lip before nodding.

"I'm not letting her win, Happy. She wants to come see me? Fine, it's time she pays for abandoning me." I said, taking my helmet off the handlebar. He nodded and started the bike. We headed back to Lodi so I could get my car and Millie before we returned to the clubhouse for the Friday night party. The last thing I wanted to do was sit around waiting for her to show up.

"Look how precious she is!" Barbie said, showing me the fifteenth picture of Anya. In this one she was sucking her thumb and had one foot up in the air. I giggled and smiled brightly.

"She's adorable. She got lucky and got your nose." I said with a wink. Juice shot me a bird and Happy laughed, nodding in agreement with me. "You sure you're okay with me letting Serenity manage the club for a few nights a week?"

"Hell yeah, J. We're going to need a manager unless we want to work ourselves to death. She's smart and I trust her." She said, ordering us both another round. I smiled and nodded to Happy who said he and Juice were going to go see what was up with Jax. He'd just stormed out of the clubhouse a few minutes ago without a word to anyone.

"I feel like there's a fucking time bomb around my neck." I grumbled once Happy was out of earshot. Barbie frowned.

"You should have told me about your mother, J. Juice told me about it this afternoon. I feel like kicking some ass so I'll tag team with you, tiny dancer." It took me a minute to realize she was using Tig's nickname for me. We both started laughing loudly once she saw my reaction.

 **A/N: Look at that! Two in one day! It's a way to say sorry about my slow posts recently and also building anticipation for the next chapter! Hope to have it up tomorrow or Sunday, may be late at night (eastern US time). Thanks for reading as always.**


	30. Chapter 30

"You feel any better?" Happy asked as we got into bed after the party. I nodded and got into my normal spot with my back against his chest. He kissed my shoulder and squeezed me to him. "I've got you, J. I'm not going anywhere."

I had to bite my lip to keep myself together. Being loved by a man that I cared about so much still caught me off guard some times. He kissed my shoulder again and settled his head down on his pillow for the night. With my eyes closed, I laced my fingers in with his and settled in for the night with Millie at our feet.

We woke up to Millie growling at a quarter to ten; just five hours after we'd gotten home and laid down. Saturdays were normally our late start days and Millie had always been content with the schedule. At first, I thought she may need to go out, but I soon noticed how her ears were laid back and her teeth were showing. Whenever she normally growled to play or just make noise, she kept her ears forward and her jowls down over her teeth.

"Get in the bathroom, Jaden." Happy said as we heard a knock on the door. He pulled on his jeans from last night and headed to the door. Millie followed him as I went to the bathroom as he asked. If there was one thing I never questioned him about, it was my safety.

"What?" I heard him snap. I had no doubt that he either had a gun pointed at the person at the door or at least on in his hand. Millie was still growling intermittently.

"Jaden?" I heard a voice call out to me from the front door and felt my limbs go cold and my heart all but stop. I hadn't heard her voice in years, but I recognized it immediately. My legs wouldn't move to step out of the bathroom and my brain wasn't so sure it was the greatest idea in the first place. "I want to see my baby girl."

"Your baby girl? You're fucking kidding me right now." Happy growled. Millie barked loudly. "You abandon a kid for a decade and she's your baby girl? You need to go."

"Who are you? You have no clue as to what happened when she was a girl. No clue at all. I did my best." My anger started thawing my limbs as she spoke. I was in nothing but a bra and panties, so I grabbed a shirt out of the hamper and pulled it on, not bothering to see if it was filthy or not.

"Your best? I'm doing my best not to shoot you here and now. You better hope my best is better than yours." Happy had his gun in his right hand, hidden from the woman who had given birth to me. She took her eyes off Happy when I came into her view.

"Jadey?" I hadn't heard that nickname in forever. I shook my head slowly as I looked into her eyes. They were far duller than I remembered them being. She had never been a large woman, a result of our circumstances, but now she had a solid fifty pounds on me.

"Don't call me that. No one calls me that. Why are you here?" I asked, not going closer than ten feet from the door. Millie abandoned her post next to Happy and came over to me, leaning her whole body against my legs.

"I missed you." She said, working her hardest to sound sincere. I narrowed my eyes at her and shook my head. "Aren't you going to invite me in or introduce me to your friend?"

"He's my fiancé and no, you can't come in." I said, rubbing Millie's neck to try and calm her down. The woman before me raised her brow and looked at Happy.

"You heard her. Leave. Now." Happy said, bringing his hand that held his gun to his side so she could get a look at it. She didn't seem phased at all. She did, however, take a step back so Happy could slam the door without hitting her, not that he would have minded.

"Jaden," Happy started. I shook my head and felt my whole body start trembling as I fell to my knees. Millie nuzzled me gently and whined as I started gasping for air. My throat felt like it was closing in and everything was in a bright, white light. "Jaden, babe, look at me. You've got to breathe, okay?"

He sat down in the floor and carefully pulled me onto his lap. I was still struggling to breathe when he wrapped his arms around me. I felt Millie's head in my lap and started trying to ground myself. I looked into Happy's eyes and rubbed Millie's soft, triangle ears as I listened to the sound of the fan spinning. I found myself breathing easier, but I wasn't clear of it yet.

"When I told Tig I wanted to marry you, he said you were probably the only woman crazy enough to say yes. He said that we looked at each other like we'd known each other forever. I feel like he may have been right about that. When I look at you, I see everything in a partner that I'd ever wanted and more. When you look at me, I feel like you actually see me. You don't just see the kills under my belt or the kutte, you see everything. You see the man my Ma tried to raise me to be and the outlaw all in one." He said, never breaking eye contact and smoothing my hair. I blinked a couple times.

"You sound like you've practiced that." I said, managing a small smile. He nodded and gave me a smile.

"Figured I should practice before the wedding." Happy told me, his eyes warm. I pressed my lips to his and he kissed me softly.

"Those are your vows? Really?" I asked, overwhelmed in a whole new way. He nodded and kissed me again. "I love you."

"I tolerate you." He teased. I rolled my eyes and cuddled against his chest, feeling relaxed and tired. "Come on, back to bed, wench."

"Keep pushing it, Happy Lowman." I said, recognizing that we were ignoring what happened for the time being. He mouthed off about pushing something in me playfully until we got into bed. "You can push what ever you want after one o'clock."

"Deal, J." He said with a yawn. I nodded and pushed the bad feelings down so I could get just a little more sleep.

"So, she just showed up and knocked on the door?" Barbie asked as we walked into our office. I nodded and tossed my bag into a chair as Millie went to her bed in the corner behind my desk. There was no way I was leaving her at home unprotected, she was the closest thing I'd ever have to a baby. "Here I thought we were getting a special escort from Happy, Tig, Juice and Opie for being pretty."

"Well, we are but my man is also a little protective." I said with a shrug. Barbie nodded and leaned against my desk. She seemed to be doing a little better every day.

"A little? Seriously though, how did she find you? Do you think someone is helping her?" She asked, looking over at me cautiously. I sighed and held my head in my hands.

"I don't know how she found me. Someone has to be helping her but I don't know who or why. Juice is trying to trace deposits into her account but it looks like a dead end." I admitted begrudgingly. Barbie didn't seem any happier about the answer.

"Happy have any theories?" She asked, moving to her own desk. I spun my chair around to look at her and shook my head.

"Not that he's sharing yet. I told him I could try talking to her and getting her to tell me and he nearly blew a gasket. He made a lot of really detailed threats about what he'd do if she came near me again." I sighed and hitched my shoulder. "It gets me wet when he's protective so then we fucked. Didn't really bring it back up after that."

"You two are such freaks. I'm looking forward to getting Juice back in the sack. I'm kinda worried he might hook up with a sweet-butt first." She said with a snarl. I shook my head, excited that I knew something that she didn't when it came to she and Juice.

"Nah, he won't. How's Anya?" I asked, changing the subject so I didn't give anything away. Barbie's eyes lit up and she grabbed my hand.

"Please come to the hospital with me in the morning! They're supposed to be taking her out of the incubator." She said happily. It was the best news I'd heard all day and promised I wouldn't miss it for the world.

The entire night, I worried about my mother showing up at the club. When I noticed the door opening, I'd feel torn between looking away and facing my fears. As a result, I spent much of the night in the office or backstage. When I wasn't out front, Millie was right by my side, not giving a single fuck who had to get out of her way so she could stick by me.

"J, you ready?" I jumped at Happy's voice, not expecting anyone to come into the supply closet with me. I had my hand on my chest as I nodded and caught my breath. He frowned and adjusted his waistband, no doubt feeling the weight of his Glock. "You don't need to worry, babe. We're staying at the cabin tonight, ok?"

I knew he wasn't asking for my agreement but for my acknowledgement, so I nodded quickly. There was no doubt that we were going to the remote, SOA cabin to avoid another run in with my mother before we had all the details about whoever was holding the purse strings and why.

I lowered myself down into my driver's seat and commanded Millie to lay down in the back as I backed out of my parking spot. Happy and Tig were waiting for me while Opie and Juice were going to head back to the clubhouse with Barbie. When we were on the road, Millie snuck her way close enough to me to rest her head on my arm for the remainder of the drive.

"Thanks, Tigger Bell." I said, hoping to find a nickname he would hate. Instead, he just kissed me on the cheek and gave Happy a hug before getting back on the bike and heading towards town. "Is he okay?"

"No, he's got daughter problems." He said while unlocking the front door. I hated the musty, old liquor smell of the cabin, but I appreciated the privacy more. Not wanting to think about anything heavy, I smiled and asked Happy about Juice and Barbie.

"Did you and Juice know about Anya getting out of the box tomorrow when you set up the surprise of putting her crow on?" I asked, climbing onto the couch and hugging Millie to me. Happy shook his head.

"He might have, I didn't. So the squirt is doing better?" He asked, calling the baby by the name he and Tig were determined to give her around the club. I nodded, happy for my best friend and her family. "Good. Now I just need my girls happy."

"We are." I said kissing his lips as he walked behind the couch. Millie barked and Happy and I both laughed.

"Good. Anyone fucks that up and they'll answer to me." He said with a serious nod. I smirked and took his hand.

"You know what that kind of stuff does to me, right? I love your big bad biker side." I whispered to him. He smirked and kissed me roughly.

"I'm here to please, wench." He jumped back as I swung out to hit his shoulder. I'd given him fair warning about calling me that, yet he just had to provoke me. Millie jumped up to her feet and started barking, unhappy that we were even play fighting.

"That's it. This pussy is on lock down for a week." I said stubbornly. Happy laughed loudly and I narrowed my eyes at him. "Fine, two."

"Yeah, right. Maybe two minutes." He winked and snatched me into his arms. I shrieked and Millie barked again. "Hush, hound. She's just a loud wench. She's fine."

"Happy Lowman!" I scolded. He smirked and threw me on the bed, which had noticeably clean smelling sheets.

"Jaden Lowman." He growled, knocking all my defenses aside just like that. I all but jumped on him, unable to get enough.

 **We haven't seen that last of Jaden's mom at all, just a heads up**


	31. Chapter 31

I woke up to the sun pouring into the room and warming my leg that had escaped the covers overnight. Happy wasn't beside me, but I could hear movement from inside the cabin, so I knew he hadn't left before I woke up. Millie looked up at me and yawned as I got out of bed and slipped on my black, silk robe.

"Morning, lover." I said, slipping my arms around him from the back. He was manning the stove where I was happy to find blueberry pancakes in a pan. They smelled delicious and I loved the sight of him cooking, especially shirtless.

"Morning, J. Blondie and Juice are supposed to be here soon so you may want to put pants on. Up to you, I'm not complaining." He said, looking over his shoulder at me and smiling. I laughed and stretched up to my toes to kiss him lightly on the cheek before getting changed into a pair of jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. It was starting to get a little cooler and I was in the mood to be comfortable.

"Hey! It smells like heaven in here!" Barbie said as I opened the door for she and Juice. I nodded and led the way to the little dining room table in the eat in kitchen. Juice looked at Happy who was finishing up cooking, obviously trying to decide if making a joke was safe or not.

"You want to eat this or your teeth?" Happy growled, catching Juice's shit eating grin when he turned to put the pancakes on the table. Barbie and I laughed and got dirty looks from Happy, not that it made a difference to us. We both knew that he would never hurt either of us.

"Tara, Gemma, Lyla, Jax and Chibs are going to meet us at Saint Thomas, but we wanted to talk to you before we get there." Barbie said as Happy sat down next to me, putting his left hand on my knee as he always did. His eyes shifted over to Juice's for a second, before returning to Barbie's. She smiled brightly and looked at Juice.

"If it wasn't for the two of you, we never would have met and Anya wouldn't be here. Happy, you're the scariest, most loyal person I've ever known." He said, looking at his patch brother. Happy didn't smile or let it show, but I could tell he appreciated the compliment.

"Jaden, you're the strongest, most caring person I've ever met. The two of you make a freakishly incredible team and that's what we love about you as family. That's also what we want for god-parents for Anya Joy Ortiz." Barbie said, a tear rolling down her cheek. I smiled as my cheeks warmed. Juice chuckled and nodded.

"The middle name was her idea. She said that she wanted it to either be Happy or Jaden. Eventually she came up with Joy since it's a synonym and starts with a "J"." Juice said with a full smile. Barbie giggled and hitched her shoulders.

"I was really, really high on painkillers. I like it though. It's pretty and it has meaning." She said, looking from Happy to me. I was at a loss for words. Happy nodded and rose to his feet, drawing all eyes to him. He walked over to Juice and they shared a brotherly hug that lasted for a couple moments more than most. Next, he went over to Barbie and gave her a one armed hug.

"Anything you two or the squirt need, we'll do whatever we can to make it happen." He said with a grin. I nodded and rose to give them both hugs as well. Barbie let out a sigh of relief after I sat down.

"I'm glad that went well but can we eat now? I'm starving!" Everyone around the small table laughed as we dug into the blueberry pancakes. All of the happiness almost made me forget about my mother being in town, almost. I pushed the thought away though, remembering that, not only did Anya get out of the incubator today, but Happy was inking Barbie with her crow later as well.

"You ready to go?" I asked, knowing we needed to be at the hospital in the next thirty minutes. Barbie looked nervous, but nodded anyways. She took my hand as we followed Happy and Juice out to the motorcycles.

The weather was perfect for the ride to the hospital. It wasn't too hot or too cold and the sun was high above us, casting beautiful light on a town I had started to love more and more. The motorcycle was vibrating beneath me and the exhaust was making what could only be described as music with the wind; I was finally starting to realize why riding was so intoxicating and important to the club.

"Hey! They just finished up all the tests and she's approved to be moved . She's still going to be on oxygen for a couple days at least, but she's doing really well." Tara said, giving Barbie a hug and explaining everything to she and Juice. She went on into some more medical terms that I didn't try to understand.

"You okay?" Happy whispered as Barbie and Juice walked down the hall to wash up before holding Anya for the first time. I looked in on our little god-daughter through the window and nodded slowly. I was okay, for lack of a better term. Of course it bothered me that we would never have a child of our own to celebrate, but there were things you could change and things you couldn't. I had no interest in letting things I couldn't control ruin happy moments like this.

"I'm good, Hap." I said, squeezing his hand. He nodded and put his arms around my shoulders, resting his chin on top of my head as Juice, Tara and Barbie walked into the room. Gemma and Jax were on my right, watching as they got ready to remove Anya from the machine. She smiled over at me and I could almost feel the question coming.

"There's always room for more club babies, you two." She said, predictably. I grinded my teeth and let it go, choosing not to comment on it. Happy held me a little tighter, no doubt knowing how I was feeling. Unlike Happy, I didn't not want kids, I just couldn't have them.

"Mom, leave them alone." Jax said, shaking his head. I wondered if Happy had talked to Jax about it at one point. Whatever his reason, I appreciated Jax stepping in, Gemma half-way listened to him.

Watching Barbie hold Anya for the first time, with Juice holding the baby's tiny hand was to much. I was crying silently, despite telling myself it was okay. Happy held me close to him and kissed the top of my head. There was no way he could see the tears, but I knew he knew I was crying.

******** SOA ******* SAMCRO ******* SOA ******* SAMCRO *******

When we got back to the clubhouse, I really just wanted to be alone but it wasn't going to happen. The whole club was there to congratulate Juice and Barbie. That meant the news broke about Happy and I being the godparents, which led to congratulations to us as well. Happy did most of the talking and thanking, which was not usually the case, while I worked on my forced smile.

"I'm going to sneak off to the roof for a few minutes, Hap." I whispered into his ear during a brief moment of privacy. He looked down at me, silently questioning if everything was okay. I nodded and gave him a little smile. "I just need to clear my head."

"Alright, J. Just be careful on the ladder." He was always looking out for me and I loved him for it, no matter how capable of taking care of myself I was. I pulled my hood over my head and lit a joint as soon as I sat down on the roof. It was quiet, save for the music coming from downstairs and the occasional car passing the lot.

My phone started vibrating in my pocket and I groaned, not in the mood to deal with my mother. I answered it and took a long draw from the joint, letting the smoke fill my lungs.

"Jaden? I didn't think you would answer. Sweetie, I want to see you, please. I have so much I want to say to you. Where are you?" She asked, her voice sounding strained. I twisted my mouth and shook my head. I couldn't trust her. I wouldn't trust her.

My phone shattered into at least a dozen pieces as it hit the pavement below me. I'd used all the upper body strength I had acquired from dancing to throw it off the roof and against the large, concrete wall opposite the clubhouse. It satisfied me, for a minute, but I knew it couldn't last long. She'd come all the way out here for a reason, or someone had paid her to come out here for a reason.

I climbed down the ladder and headed back inside, wanting my future-husband close to me. I hadn't managed to get much done when it came to clearing my mind, but at least I finally got rid of my phone.

"You good, J?" Happy asked, looking up at me from his seat on the couch. I nodded and walked over to him, planting a kiss on top of the snake on his head. He needed a fresh shave, he had short salt and pepper hairs starting to show. I told him I liked it but he didn't want to let his hair grow, saying he'd look soft. I didn't understand it but I wasn't going to push him on it.

We hung around the clubhouse and ate some of Gemma's chili that she'd made for the occasion before getting ready to head over to the tattoo shop. Juice had taken Barbie out to eat and we were supposed to meet them at the shop at eight. I was hugging Gemma when Rat jogged inside and made a bee line over to Happy. I watched Happy's eyes darken as Rat spoke. Before I could ask about what was going on, the answer opened the clubhouse door and stood in the doorway like a statue.

"Stupid bitch." I growled. I unzipped the concealed pocket of my bag and drew my gun, tired of the games. Happy was on my heels as I marched over to my mother with the gun at my side. "You came here? Of all places? Are you really that stupid?"

"What's going on?" Jax asked, walking up to the large scene that was unfolding. Happy filled him in quickly. "What do you want to do, brother?"

"Jaden, please. I'm sorry, sweetie. I never should have left you like that. I heard about what happened in Phoenix." I brought the gun up and had the barrel mere centimeters from her forehead. I didn't know how she knew about that but Happy didn't and I never planned on telling anyone.

"Stop talking. Who sent you to come find me?" I snapped, refusing to acknowledge her apology. She was visibly shaking and started to look pale. The gun in my hand was shaking as well, not from fear like her shaking, but from anger and being on the verge of losing self control.

"No one sent me, Jaden! Please, you have to believe me. I love you." She said, tears starting to fall down her cheeks. I pulled the hammer back on my pistol and laughed darkly.

"You love me? Do you even know what that word means? I'll tell you right now, it doesn't mean you send a little girl off on her own. Do you want to know what happens when a teenage girl is out on the streets on her own? Do you want to know how many times I had to hide in garbage to keep from being mugged, beaten or raped? Do you?" I yelled, sick of her tears and sick of seeing her in front of me. "If you're really sorry, you'll leave and never come back. I'm not your daughter, Stella. I don't have a mother. I never did."

Happy stepped in front of me and I decocked the gun, proud of myself for not shooting her. He looked like he was about to shove her out the door, but then he looked over to Jax.

"Someone sent her, killah. We gotta know who and why. My job is to protect this club. Rat, you and Phil take her to the warehouse and watch her." Jax ordered. Happy looked angry but he didn't speak against Jax. He was right, of course, but I know Happy wanted her gone as soon as possible. I knew this because it was exactly what I wanted.

"Hap, we need to head out or we're going to be late." I said softly, my voice almost cracking. The woman who'd given birth to me was trying to fight against Phil and Rat, but I refused to give her my attention. Happy nodded and gently pushed me outside with his hand on my lower back.

"She's going to suffer, Jaden, like a lot." He said. I nodded, numb to the entire situation at this point. He handed me my helmet and I went through the motions of putting it on and climbing onto my seat. The motorcycle roared to life and I pressed my cheek against Happy's leather kutte, wishing we could just ride off into the horizon and disappear.

 **We'll see what's going on with Jaden's mom next chapter and have some happy moments when it comes to wedding planning. The wedding is still a couple chapters off but I'm looking forward to it already. I haven't decided if Stella will live and disappear or die and disappear. I'll probably leave that decision up to Happy and Jaden :)**


	32. Chapter 32

I held Barbie's hand as Happy worked on the shading of her tattoo. Juice had chosen to put it on her inner forearm so everyone could see it, including Barbie. She was crying with what she said were tears of joy but I knew this was her first tattoo. Happy was a professional and didn't gouge her skin, but it still wasn't a comfortable experience.

"Thank you so much, Happy." Barbie wrapped her arms around Happy's neck, catching him off guard and earning a smile. She then turned to Juice and hugged him before kissing him deeply. Happy tucked me under his arms and kissed the top of my head. He knew I was still upset and dealing with a lot. "You feeling okay, J?"

"No, not really. I'm happy for you though, Barbie doll." I managed a smile and she gave me a hug.

"Thanks again, Hap. We're gonna head out to work on Anya's nursery. Let me know if you need anything." Juice said, giving him a brotherly hug. I gave Juice a nod, silently thanking him for being there for Barbie.

Happy started cleaning his station up in silence as I stared at the windows, not really seeing anything. All I could see was the past, flashing before my eyes like a slideshow. I felt like Happy deserved the full story but it was hard for me to even think about remembering it. I turned and watched him clean for a moment, twisting my ring around my finger.

"I need to tell you about Phoenix." My voice came out as a whisper and I bit my bottom lip as he turned around to look at me. He shook his head and set his tattoo machine on the table.

"Jaden, unless you want to tell me and telling me makes you feel better, then don't." His voice was low and softer than it normally was and he looked me in the eyes. I took a deep, shaky breath and sat down on the red, leather couch.

"I was seventeen. I was making my way west to California and ended up in Phoenix for a couple months before I could get enough money to keep moving. A couple weeks after I got there, a man showed me attention and offered me a place to stay." I paused and swallowed. Happy was leaning on his work station, actively listening to every word.

"He was nice enough in the beginning but eventually he forced me to stop leaving the house. I had my first panic attack there. The free room ended up costing me." I saw his hand grip the station so tightly that it made his knuckles turn white and decided he didn't need an explanation for that. "I got pregnant and that didn't fit in with his plan. He gave me the money for an abortion and took me to a clinic twice, but I refused to go through with it. We would leave the clinic and he would go on a tirade about how worthless I was and all kinds of nasty things."

"Jaden, you don't have to." Happy said, his voice faltering. I nodded and looked down at my flat stomach.

"He shoved me down the stairs of his house and I lost the baby. Once I got to Oakland, I finally made it to see a doctor for birth control and everything. She ran a lot of tests and found that the miscarriage and trauma had done so much damage that I would never be able to have kids." I said, looking up at him. His face showed a mix of anger and sadness.

"I'm sorry, Jaden." He said, moving over and squatting down in front of me resting his hands on my knees. I put my forehead to his and steadied my breathing.

"Palo, my ex, was the only person who knew about that. No one else." I said, bringing my head back, my mind running with theories. "I need to talk to her, Happy. I have to know how she found out about that. If she won't tell me who sent her, maybe she'll tell me that. They're connected. They have to be."

"Jaden, I can find out for you. You don't have to do that." He said, shaking his head. I took his face in my hands and nodded.

"I do, Happy. I need this. I need to find out why she's here and get the closure I've needed for years. I need to do that before it's too late." I made direct eye contact with him and he nodded slowly, understanding what I was asking of him.

"Let's get out of here, J." Happy said, standing and pulling me up with him. I nodded and followed him out of the tattoo shop, nervous for what was to come. I'd never been to the warehouse before and upon arrival, I realized that I wasn't missing out. It gave me chills, but maybe it was because I knew what was going to happen.

"Jaden, wait." Happy said, standing by his bike as I looked towards Rat and Phil who were standing on either side of a metal door. I turned to Happy and he took a deep breath. "If it gets to be too much, stop. You don't have to do this, okay? I can make her talk if I need to."

"I know, Happy. She can't hurt me though. There's nothing she could ever do that would hurt me more than what she's already done. When this is over, it's going to put everything to bed. I won't have anyone left to hate." I said, trying to convince myself as much as Happy. He nodded and held out his hand.

"I need your gun, J." He said carefully. I narrowed my eyes and handed it over to him reluctantly. "I'll be in the room for your safety but you're not shooting anybody. I don't want that on you and we gotta find out what she's doing here and how she got here."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Is this a bad time to ask you about wearing a tie to the wedding? Not for the whole thing, just the ceremony? I had this whole look in my head and..." I trailed off, realizing Happy wasn't following my train of thought. "We'll come back to it."

"Yeah, definitely." He said, apparently hearing enough to dislike it. I twisted my mouth and followed him to the guarded door. "You can stop whenever."

"I know." I said, nodding to him. He nodded back and opened the door to a dark, cold room lined with large, wooden crates. I didn't ask what was in them. I didn't want to know.

"Who told you about Phoenix?" I asked the mousey haired woman cuffed to the single, metal chair in the middle of the room. She looked up at me, blinking. "You said you came here for me. You answer my questions and I'll answer yours. Question for question."

"My lawyer told me about it. I'm so sorry, Jadey." I gritted my teeth at the name, but tried not to show just how angry it made me. She didn't look sorry. She looked hollow. "Why are you mixed up with a man like that?"

"I love him and he's a better man than I've ever known before. Who is your lawyer?" I asked, determined to get as much information as quickly as possible.

"Jordan O'Neal. What can I do to make the last few years up to you?" I groaned, wondering why she even thought that to be possible.

"You can start by telling me how your lawyer came to have that information and what you agreed to do to get out early. I know how much time you had left. They don't just let you walk on a technicality." I said.

"Jadey, I'm here now. That's what matters, isn't it? We can start over." She gave me a wavering smile. I shook my head and slapped her across the face. I heard Happy move behind me but didn't take my eyes off Stella.

"Don't lie to me. After everything you did, don't fucking lie to me." I snapped, wondering if I was really getting anywhere with her. I gritted my teeth and balled my fist in anger.

"Someone reached out to my lawyer. He never said who. I didn't need to know. You were my way out, Jaden. I told them you would see through it. Even as a little kid you were a smart little brat. Do you have any idea how impossible you made our lives?" She asked, her tone changing completely. I rolled my eyes and pursed my lips, relieved that she finally quit lying and acting. "Now you're just some whore. Funny, isn't it?"

"Watch it, bitch." Happy growled from the shadows. I smiled and turned my back on her.

"Hey! Get back here! Where are you going?" She started panicking as Happy emerged into the light and I headed for the door. I paused and looked over my shoulder at her.

"I'm leaving, turning my back, washing my hands of you. You should recognize the gesture." I called back to her before looking up at Happy. "I'm going to have Tara pick me up and go back to the clubhouse, baby. Call me if you're going to be late."

Tara pulled up to the warehouse just as I was finishing a joint to calm my nerves. It was hard to deal with the fact that, after all this time, I had been right about my parents just not caring. Tara was quiet when I got in the car. She seemed to have a lot on her mind.

"You okay?" She asked, looking over at me as we pulled out onto the road. I shook my head and stared out the window, just trying to process everything.

"Are you?" I asked, hoping to get my mind off of everything. She laughed once and shook her head.

"I'm going to a conference in Oregon. When I got hurt, it seemed like I was going to be stuck in Charming. They're willing to take a chance on me though." Tara said with a frown. I looked over at her and bit my bottom lip.

"Oregon? What about Jax? Is he leaving the club?" I asked, wondering if Happy knew about this. She took a deep breath and glanced over at me.

"I'm not sure. What's important is getting our sons out of danger. That's what Charming is now, Jaden. Danger." I twisted my engagement ring and turned what she said over in my mind. I knew she was right, Charming wasn't exactly Mayberry. When she parked the car at Teller-Morrow, I looked over at her.

"It's dangerous, Tara, I can't argue with you there. Do you think it would be any better in Oregon? I've lived in a lot of places. I've seen a lot of things. The thing is, you have family here. They're not perfect but they care, a lot. All I'm saying is the grass is only greener on the other side when you're not close enough to smell the fertilizer." I saw her nearly gaping at me as I opened the door. "Thanks for the ride, doc."

I walked into the clubhouse and looked around at everyone that had come to mean so much to me in such a short amount of time. These men and women, despite their flaws and disregard for the law, were some of the best I ever knew. They knew how important it was to take care of one another and did everything necessary to make sure that happened.

"Hey sweetheart, you okay?" Gemma asked, breaking into my thoughts. I nodded, realizing that even if I wasn't in that moment, I was going to be.


	33. Chapter 33

"Jaden, wake up." It was Happy's voice in my ear that brought me out of the horrible dream I was having. I had my arm wrapped around Millie on the plaid couch that sat closest to the chapel. I'd fallen asleep, waiting to hear from Happy. He pushed my hair out of my eyes and kissed my forehead. "Come on, I'm back."

"What did she say?" I asked, rubbing my eyes, no doubt smearing my mascara. Happy shook his head as I sat up and looked at him.

"We can talk about it later, J."" He stood up, taking my hand and urging me to go with him. I was torn. I needed to know what he'd found out and what was going to happen now. At the same time, I was exhausted. Millie stood up and yawned as she stretched. I caught her yawn as I stood up to follow Happy to his dorm.

"Hold me, Happy." I said, climbing into bed as he stripped down to his underwear. When he got into bed, he pulled me close and wrapped an arm around me. Millie hopped up and curled into a ball at the end of the bed. I closed my eyes for twenty minutes but couldn't go back to sleep. Eventually, I just stared at the wall and listened to Happy's breathing even out.

There were too many thoughts going through my head to even think about sleeping. We still had things to plan for the wedding, we were closing on our house soon and there was the unknown factor of my mother still in play. I hated not knowing what was going on. I wanted to fix everything.

"What time is it?" Happy groaned as I finished tying the bow on the sixty-fifth wedding favor. Millie's head was lying off the bed, watching me closely as I worked to stuff, close and tie a bow around the boxes.

"I'm not sure. Do you need something, Hap?" I asked, not pausing in my duties. I heard him moving around in the bed and glanced up at him.

"I need my future wife to get some sleep. That stuff can wait, Jaden." He said. I looked up to see him sitting up straight and looking down at me over the top of Millie's head. I shook my head and looked back at the box.

"It can't wait, Happy. I've got to get this done so I can work on the decorations. I want everything to be perfect, Happy. Are we going to have kegs or bottles?" I asked, tying another bow. He sighed and joined me on the floor. "What are you doing?"

"Something I'll deny if you tell anybody." He said, grabbing a box and filling it with the SAMCRO bottle openers I'd had made and two mint tins, one navy blue and one a light purple. I smiled as he tied a bow that matched mine almost perfectly. "What? The sooner this is done, the sooner you can come back to bed. How many more do we need to do?"

"About fifty." I said with a smirk. He rolled his eyes and grabbed another box and set of favors.

"Not a word about this, Jaden." He said, tying the bow perfectly. I laughed and nodded my head as we sat in the floor and worked on the wedding favors that we'd be giving out to our family in a couple weeks. "Why are you really up doing this?"

"I can't sleep. I'm doing this so I don't think about everything else." I said, looking up at him. He took second and nodded. "Is she dead? I can wait to know everything else. I just need to know if she's still out there."

"She's still alive. I've got to go back tomorrow to try and get her to talk again. She looks too much like you. It fucks with me when I'm trying to convince her to talk. Tig's going with me tomorrow." He said, rolling his shoulders and shaking a chill off. I scoffed and tied another bow.

"I used to think she was beautiful." I said with a disappointed laugh. He put the box he just finished with the other completed favors and stood up. I begrudgingly stood up when he tapped the back of my arm.

"Jaden, you're more beautiful than she ever could be and fifty-times the woman she is. I love you." He said before running his hand to the back of my neck and kissing me deeply. I felt tears I'd been holding in start to slowly escape.

"I hate crying about this. I just feel like I did something to deserve this. Maybe it's karma for what I did to the Aztecs." I said, shaking my head and putting my head on his shoulder. He tensed and took a deep breath.

"Jaden, stop. You haven't done anything to deserve this shit. Karma doesn't exist. Good people have bad shit happen to them and bad people don't get what they deserve. You think if karma existed that I wouldn't be sitting in jail or dead by now?" He said, resting his forehead on mine. I looked up at him and bit my bottom lip. He was right.

"Just let me know when she's gone, Hap. Let's try to sleep a little more." I said, offering him a small smile. He nodded and pulled me onto the bed with him.

 **I know it's a bit shorter than I wanted and I wanted to update sooner, but better late than never?**


	34. Chapter 34

"Jaden, hold up. Can I talk to you for a minute?" Jax asked as Barbie and I headed to the door so we could get down to the club. I paused and looked back at him, knowing that I didn't really have much choice.

"I'll meet you down there, doll. Make sure Serenity thinks the new girl is solid to man the bar by herself tonight." I said, walking back towards Jax. Barbie nodded and gave Jax a little wave before leaving the clubhouse. "What's up?"

"Happy just called me from the warehouse. Your Mom's lawyer works for US Attorney's office." He said, sitting down at the head of the table. I nodded, not sure what that had to do with me. "If they're trying to get an in with an old lady then they've got to be building a case against us."

"I didn't tell her anything, Jax." I said, shaking my head and taking a step back. He seemed surprised when he looked up at me.

"No, Jaden, I know you didn't. I was kind of hoping you would though. Just what we want them to hear, not the other way around." He said. I opened my mouth and closed it sharply. "I get that you haven't had a good relationship with her, but I've got to get them off my club's back."

"Does Happy know you're asking me this?" I asked, knowing that he wouldn't go along with this, no matter what. Jax frowned and shook his head.

"No, but I'm not asking because I want to Jaden. There's no other way I know to get them chasing dead ends for long enough that I can make sure were protected." He said, pushing his hair out of his face. I dropped my hand from my neck and let it slap on my leg on the way down.

"She would never believe anything I said and I know she wouldn't be on our side. I'm sorry but those bridges are already burnt." I said, feeling almost relieved. Jax nodded and took a deep breath.

"That's where the real favor comes in. I need you to push the wedding back and act like you broke things off with Hap. Feed it to your mom that it ended because you forgive her and then feed her some dummy intel." Jax said, making it sound like it was just that simple. I laughed and stared right at him.

"You're seriously asking me to postpone my wedding? Jax." I looked up as the door behind us opened suddenly. Happy walked in with Tig right on his heels. He looked from Jax to me and seemed to relax slightly. Knowing Happy, he'd been trying to get in touch with me.

"What's going on? You're supposed to be at the club." Happy said, kissing my temple in greeting before putting his hands on the back of a chair and looking over at Jax. The further into the plan that Jax got, the less Happy seemed to breathe.

"You really think it's safe to put tiny dancer on the line like that?" Tig asked, looking at Jax with wide eyes. I ignored the horrible nick-name and watched Happy. He nodded slowly and looked over at me.

"It makes sense. I don't like it but I can't come up with anything better." Happy said to no one in particular. I laughed and turned my back on him to gather my thoughts.

"Seriously? It's not like we don't get along, Happy. I hate her. You really want me get in bed with her? Just fucking kill her. They can't get intel from a corpse." I said, shaking my head. Happy sighed and stepped over towards me. I took a step back and looked him in the eyes. "Happy," I pleaded with him.

"It's just for a few days, Jaden, maybe a week." He said, his eyes hardening along with his mouth. I scoffed and held up my left hand.

"We're supposed to be getting married soon, Happy. When am I supposed to finish everything if I'm playing nice with Stella? We're closing on the house this week to." I said, shaking my head. He narrowed his eyes at me, catching me off guard.

"We can't get married if I'm sitting in prison with everyone else, Jaden. I'm not calling it off, I'm saying we push it a couple more weeks and get this shit handled." He said harshly. I nodded and pulled my ring off.

"Fine. You can give that back to me when I'm a priority again. I'll go get my stuff. I'll be at Barbie's place until then. Let me know what you want me to tell Stella, Jax." I gave Happy one more glare before turning on my heel and leaving the chapel. Millie lifted her head and looked at me as I took a breath to steady myself.

"Jaden, would you stop for a minute?" Happy said, closing the dorm door behind him. I ignored him and kept packing my clothes and tossing Millie's stuff into a bag. "We don't have a choice, J."

"No, we do, Happy. Well, we did. You made that decision without me though. You know how I feel about her, Happy. Just this morning! Just this morning we talked about it. Now I'm just some tool to get the heat off the club." I snapped, throwing my bag towards him. He dodged it without a problem, but I could tell it angered him.

"Damnit, Jaden. Stop putting this shit on me. This isn't the local cops busting us for a couple years. This is federal. This is the whole club, not just our charter. That includes me, Jaden. If we're not careful this club is done and we're going away for multiple life sentences." He said, taking a step closer towards me.

"I'm doing it, Happy. You don't have to convince me but stop acting like I can't be mad about this. Don't you dare act like I just need to take one for the team." I said, my voice cracking. He frowned and pulled me against him. I pushed back and tried to get away, but he only held me tighter.

"I'm sorry, J. Tell me what needs to be done for the wedding and I'll make sure it's done. We won't postpone unless we absolutely have to." He said softly. I sighed and hid my face in his kutte that smelled just like him.

"There's a list in my folder. I'm going to miss you, Hap." I said, running my hands under his shirts and around to his back. His skin was at lest ten degrees warmer than mine. I loved that about him.

"Let me make you feel better." He said, lifting my chin. I gave him a small nod and reciprocated his gentle kiss that quickly deepened. My body responded to him as if it knew this would be the last time for longer than we had gone without touching or kissing since we'd first kissed. I pushed his kutte off his shoulders and set it on the chair before shoving him against the dresser , rattling it loudly.

"Fuck me like it's the last time, Happy." I growled into his ear. He pulled my hair to force my face to tilt up and kissed me possessively. I undid his belt and jeans, shoving them out of the way quickly.

"I love you, Jaden Lowman." He rasped, pulling my shirt off and unhooking my bra. I smiled at the altering of my name.

"That's not my name." I whispered. He moved his mouth down to my neck and I felt him nod.

"Maybe not according to the law but you're my wife, Jaden. You're my family." He said softly. That statement, those words changed the mood immediately. Lust wasn't pumping through my veins anymore. I didn't want to fuck him because I didn't know when I'd get the chance again. I needed to connect to him because I loved him and if the plan didn't work, I may not get many more chances to.

We didn't say another word to one another but I could feel that we were on the same page. His kisses were softer and his thrusts were slower and deeper. I clung to him with my fingers instead of my nails, unable to get close enough to him. He seemed to feel the same way because when we finally collapsed into orgasm, he rolled on his back and held me to him.

"If there was any other way, I'd never make you do this." He said quietly as I traced the script of my name on his neck. I made a shushing noise and shook my head.

"I know, Happy. I know." I whispered, wishing we could just stay like this forever. He pulled his chain off his neck and took my ring off it. "You hold on to it for me. I can't have it and say we're not together, Hap. I know I'm a priority. I'm sorry for what I said."

"Don't be, Jaden. I get it. You're always a priority though, baby. Always." He said, kissing my nose. I smiled and caught his lips with a quick kiss.

"Let's just get this over with so we can get back to this, okay?" I said, sitting up begrudgingly. He nodded with a sigh.

"Sounds good to me." I knew he wasn't happy about the plan but like he and Jax both said, it was the only one we had.

**********SOA**********

"Mom, will you feed Millie? We've got to get down to the club." I said, opening the door for Barbie. Stella walked into the living room and nodded before tying my robe around her a little tighter. It had been two weeks since I "saved" her from the club. She'd been staying with Barbie and I which only made things harder.

"Did Jax say when this shit is going to be over? Anya is coming home next week." Barbie said as we got in her car. I frowned and shook my head.

"He just keeps saying soon. I'll figure something out before Anya comes home, Barbie. I promise." I said, wondering how exactly I was going to manage that. She nodded and we fell into a tense silence on the way to the club. I rubbed my crow tattoo around my wrist and wished that it was over already.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, startled to see Happy sitting at my desk. He stood up and walked over to me, hugging me for the first time since we'd pretend broken up.

"I didn't want to not see you today, J. I know we were planning on today going a hell of a lot differently." He said before kissing the top of my head. I nodded and looked up at him.

"Yeah, it involved an aisle and you in a tux and me in a dress." I said, holding back my tears. He nodded and brushed one that escaped away with his thumb.

"You forgot about cake. We're still going to have all that Jaden. I'm sorry it wasn't today." He said, glancing at Barbie as she walked past us.

"I'm just happy you're here." I said, standing on my toes and kissing him. He deepened the kiss and pulled me against him. "Stop, you keep doing that and Barbie's going to get a lot more of a show than she probably wants."

"Yeah, no offense but I've seen enough of you two naked. I don't need to see those naked bits touching." She said, grabbing her tablet off the charging station and darting out of the room.

"Everything from your apartment is moved into the house and I got the beast a new bed and stuff." He said, trying to change the subject away from our libidos. I nodded and put my cheek on his chest.

"Good, she out grew the one I have at Barbie's." I said, running my fingertips over his patches. He nodded and caught my wrist, bringing it to his lips and kissing my wrist. I groaned and stretched my back.

"You good, J?" He said, immediately alarmed by my discomfort. I nodded and gave him a reassuring smile.

"I'm okay. I just haven't been sleeping great and my back has been hurting. I'm ready for our bed." I said, rubbing my lower back with my hand. He nodded and kissed my lips.

"You seem tired, J. I'm sorry." He said with a frown. I shook my head and lowered myself into my chair.

"It's okay. Just stay here with me for a little while. I've missed you." I said unashamedly. He nodded and sat down across from me, looking tired himself. It seemed we really weren't as good separately as we were together.

 **To make up for the delay and shortness of last chapter :)**


	35. Chapter 35

"Mom? What's going on?" I asked, walking into the living room to see Stella sitting across from a man in a suit. Barbie had woken me up after far too little sleep and told me we had a problem. When she said a problem, I didn't think she meant a fed in the living room.

"Jadey," I tried not to wince at the name. "This is Mr. Lexington. He helped your mama get out of prison. Now, he needs our help, okay sweetie?" Her condescending tone made me want to throttle her right there in front of the fed. Millie leaned against my legs protectively.

He explained the general idea of the case they were building against the club, which included a lot of dummy intel that I had been feeding to Stella. Jax had made sure to use dates that they could easily alibi out of for crimes that they really didn't do. As unhappy as I was about my roll in the plan, I had to admit that it was brilliant. I ran my hand through my hair, pushing it back and hitched my shoulder.

"What does this have to do with me?" I asked, feeling sick to my stomach from not eating in so long. Barbie was standing in the hallway, just out of sight and gave me a reassuring nod. I knew she had called Jax so he could hear this.

"Your mother said that you were engaged to Happy Alexander Lowman, is that correct?" It was the first time I'd ever heard anyone say his middle name besides his Ma and it hit a chord with me. I bit my lip and nodded. "You don't need to be scared, Jaden. We can protect you. I just need to know if you would be willing to testify against the Sons of Anarchy if this goes to trial."

There it was. The part of the plan I was most worried about. Jax had told me they may ask me to do so. He had made a point to reassure me that it would never make it to trial. I wasn't any less nervous to agree to testify though. I took a shaky breath and nodded.

"Yeah, on one condition." I felt bile rising up in my throat. He nodded and I looked at Stella. "I want you to let my mom go. I can give you everything you need. She's given the system enough of her time."

"Consider it done. You're doing the country a great service by helping us with this case, Jaden." He stood up and shook my hand. I nodded and walked him to the door. When the sound of his car finally faded away, Barbie stepped out of the hallway.

"Finally! Hiding in my own house sucks!" She said, offering the phone to me. Stella looked at Barbie with wide eyes as I cradled the phone with my shoulder.

"Good job, Jaden. Mom sent a croweater to buy the bus ticket, so you're good. Happy's on his way." Jax said, his smile audible over the phone.

"Thanks, Jax." I said before ending the call and passing the phone off to Barbie. Stella looked like a deer in headlights.

"What's going on? Jadey, why are you talking to Jax?" She asked, standing up and backing away from me. I cracked my neck, relieved to have the charade over and done with.

"You really are that stupid, aren't you? You really think I would just forgive you and help you? The best part is, you just lost the only leverage you have. The feds aren't going to wonder what happened when you disappear. See, before you drug me into this, they needed to keep tabs on you. Now, they don't." I said, finding myself laughing like some crazy person. Barbie raised her brow at me and I blushed.

"Those men will kill you for testifying, Jaden. You need me to keep you safe!" She said, shaking her head nervously. I paused, wondering if she was really serious.

"You understand who my fiancé is, right? We never broke up. You thought I left him because of you? Of all people?" I shook my head and turned away from her. Barbie and I shared a look before the sound of approaching motorcycles filled the air.

"Hey, Jaden." Jax said, giving my shoulder a squeeze as he walked by. Happy followed soon after and I nearly jumped into his arms. He chuckled and gave me a lingering kiss.

"Missed you too, J." Happy whispered against my cheek before setting me down. I sat down in the chair across from Stella and relaxed, glad to have the club there to tie things up. "You good?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired." I said, realizing then that I'd been tired a lot recently. Happy's eyes were watching me as I tried to remember the last time I wasn't tired. "I'm fine, Hap."

"Go get some sleep, Jaden. We've got this." Happy said, motioning towards the hall. Barbie pulled away from Juice and fell into step beside me as I graciously took his advice and went to lie down in the guest room I'd been staying in.

"Do you need anything? Water, advil, pregnancy test?" Barbie asked, closing the door. I sat down on the bed and pulled my sneakers off. "I know you aren't supposed to be able to have kids but."

"I know. The symptoms are the same as what I had with my first pregnancy. I was never really sick, just tired and achey. It's not possible though." I said, shaking my head and lying back on the bed. Barbie walked over and sat down next to me.

"Honey, if you've still got the parts then it's still possible. Do you want to take a test? I think I still have one." She said, moving to stand. I shook my head.

"No. I'm going to let them take care of Stella and then I'll talk to Happy about it tonight." I forced a small smile, worried about how Happy would react. Part of me wanted him to be happy, but I didn't want him to get his hopes up only to go through the pain of losing the baby. Barbie must have seen the doubt and fear in my eyes, because she kicked her own shoes off and crawled into the bed beside me.

"Don't fuss. I need a nap while Anya plays with her daddy." Barbie said. I nodded silently and closed my eyes, hoping to try and get some sleep. All I could think about was how Happy was going to take the news that I may be pregnant. He'd told me numerous times before that he'd give anything to give me a baby if it was possible, but a part of me wondered if he only said that because we thought it wasn't possible. I took a deep breath and pulled my knees up to my chest.

******SOA******SOA******SOA*******

"I need to stop by the pharmacy." I told Happy as we headed out of Barbie's house. It had taken the club longer than I thought it would to "take care of" Stella and my anxiety was all but killing me. Happy raised his brow but nodded before opening the door for me. I knew he would follow me over, so I didn't bother explaining why just yet.

When we got to the pharmacy, I stood at the front of the store, just staring at the signs for the aisles. I assumed what I needed was probably on the "family planning" aisle, but I couldn't quite get my feet moving in that direction. Happy walked inside a couple minutes after I heard his bike pull into the parking lot.

"What are you doing, J?" Happy's wallet chain slapped at my leg as he walked up beside me. I slowly raised my eyes to look at him and saw the concern written all over his face.

"Just come on." I said, unable to bring myself to tell him I may be pregnant next to the gum and candy aisle. He stayed right on my heels as we walked towards the middle of the store. I noticed, once I turned down the family planning aisle, which also shelved tampons, he started hanging back. "Jaden."

"Why are there so many fucking choices? All I want is a simple yes or no." I grumbled, looking at the various at home pregnancy tests. Happy moved to my side and looked at the shelf.

"I thought this wasn't possible, J." His voice was low as I reached for a box and then drew my hand back. "Jaden. Fucking talk to me."

"It's not supposed to be possible, Happy. I'm late and I have the same symptoms from the last time I was pregnant." I said, my head getting lighter and lighter. He put his hand on the middle of my back and it settled my nerves just enough to remember what I was doing in the pharmacy. "Let's go."

"I'm driving." Happy said, pointing towards the passenger side of my car. I shook my head and he narrowed his eyes at me. "Yes. I'll come get my bike later. Get in the car, Jaden."

"I'm fine." I said under my breath as we got in the car. Millie poked her head between the front seats and looked between Happy and I, sensing the tension. I scratched her between the ears before buckling my seat belt and settling in for the short ride to our new place.

"So, what now? We just wait?" Happy asked as I walked out of our master bathroom. I nodded and twisted my mouth, not really knowing what else to say. He nodded and pulled out his phone. "Rat. You and Phil go by the pharmacy and pick up my bike on the roll back. Neither one of you put your asses on my seat. Got it?"

"You're so mean to them." I said with a little laugh. Happy shrugged and tossed his phone on the bed. "We have about five minutes to talk about what if's."

"Alright, then go ahead, Jaden. What if you're pregnant?" Happy said, leaning against the dresser. I sighed and looked down at the ring he had given me.

"I don't know. You know I wanted babies, Happy, especially with you. I just don't want to go through losing another one. I don't want to do that to you." I said, at the verge of tears. He nodded and spun a ring around his index finger.

"There's not something you can do to keep from losing it?" Happy seemed worried about even asking me the question. I pushed my hair back and lifted my shoulders.

"I don't know." The timer on my phone went off and I silenced it quickly. Happy made the first move towards the bathroom. I didn't move. When he reemerged, his expression was unreadable. "So?"

"You're pregnant, according to this." Happy said, handing the test stick over. I looked at the two pink lines and nodded my head slowly, at a complete loss for words. He sat down next me and put his hand on the back of my neck. "Have Tara get you in to see a doctor tomorrow, Jaden."

"Where do you stand on this? It's not something we planned." I said, afraid to look into his eyes and see disappointment or even anger.

"Nothing goes the way we plan it, J. I'm with you on this. You want to keep it, then we'll keep it. If it's you or the baby, I'm always going to pick you. We're not doing this if you're not safe." He said pulling me over so I was leaning into him. I nodded, hoping to get an idea of what we were facing at the doctor's tomorrow.

 **WOW it's been a while since I've updated and I am so very sorry about that!**


	36. Chapter 36

I climbed out of my car and pulled my sunglasses down over my eyes, hoping to get a little relief from the sun. Happy held his arm out and I walked underneath it, pressing my side into his. He turned his head and looked down at my protruding stomach with a warm grin. I was five months along and showing fully. Happy said it was because I was so small. He loved to run his hand over the bump and would whisper to it at night.

"You feeling okay, Momma?" He asked, clearly seeing the pink in my cheeks. I shook my head, but kept my mouth shut. "J, what's wrong?"

"It's just shit with BJ's. The girls are driving me nuts with time off requests and stuff. Then, I have to worry about them fucking the customers now. I'm just stressed out and wanted to see my man." I said, summing up everything that had gone wrong so far that day. He nodded and kissed the top of my head.

"Take some time off, Jaden. Barbie and Lyla can handle it. My kid isn't being put in danger for that shit." Happy had been even more protective ever since we found out I was pregnant. I put my hand on his arm and nodded, having planned to step away for a few days anyways.

"I think I'm going to go shopping for some furniture for the baby. Do you have anything you want me to look for?" I asked, knowing he was tied up with club business for the greater part of the day. He shook his head and I could see his mouth tightening. "Happy, I'm going to baby stores. I'll be perfectly safe."

"I still don't like you going alone, J. You can't shop online and get it delivered or something?" Happy asked. I scoffed and took a step back, my hormones and the sun getting the best of me. Tears started dripping from my eyes as I shook my head.

"Just forget it." I said, storming away from him. I made it to my car and reached for the door before he planted his hand down to keep it shut. I sniffled and wiped my cheeks with the back of my hand. "All I want to do is feel normal, Happy! I want to shop for furniture and baby stuff without some patched member or prospect following me around! It's bad enough that everyone knows I'm an ex-stripper. They already think I'm going to be a bad mother."

"Who thinks that, Jaden? You're going to be a great mother, you already are. I'm not going to apologize for wanting to protect you though. You knew this was part of being with me, even before the baby." Happy said, trying to calm me down and keep the annoyance out of his voice. I frowned and shook my head.

"I'll just wait until you can go shopping with me or I'll shop online. It's fine." I said, feeling the tears swelling up again. I hated being so weepy and childish.

"I'll go with you." We both looked over to see Gemma sitting in her Cadillac with her window down. Knowing that she had overheard our fight only made me feel even worse about being so emotional. Happy set his mouth in a thin line and looked from Gemma to me.

"Alright. Either of you see anything or feel some kind of way, you call me or Jax." Gemma nodded and unlocked her door for me. Happy took my hand as I moved towards her car. "Hey, no glittery shit."

"What if it's a girl?" I asked, already knowing the answer. He narrowed his eyes and I laughed. "Love you, Hap. I'll keep you updated, okay?"

"Yeah, alright. Be good." He kissed me swiftly before opening Gemma's car door for me and giving her a nod.

"How's the killer handling those hormones?" Gemma asked as we pulled out of the lot. I blushed a little and raised my shoulder.

"I try to keep it at a minimum and then it just boils over. He's doing a great job of taking care of me, it's just hard for me to need him to." I said, touching up my mascara in her visor mirror. She kept her eyes on the road and patted my knee.

"Just think how he's going to be with that little boy." She was convinced that we were going to have a little boy, having nothing to go off of other than her intuition and some old wives tells. "What are we looking for?"

"Well, we don't have anything except a rocking chair from Mya. She used it with Happy." I felt my chest tightening with happiness. "These emotions are so annoying."

"It'll pass. Just stop holding stuff in, darlin. So, crib, dressing table and a dresser?" She asked.

"Yeah, I think that should be it for now. Anything else will just be some little things here and there." I said, opening the door after stopping at the furniture store in Lodi. I found myself scanning the street for anyone that could be a threat.

There wasn't much to choose from and what there was seemed cheaply made. I became disinterested after the second set we looked at. Gemma picked up on my dissatisfaction and motioned towards the car.

"Come on. There's a shop a little farther out that we got Abel's crib at." She said, unlocking the car. I climbed back in the seat while shooting Happy a text message about striking out at the first store. I knew he probably wasn't that interested, but I'd promised to keep him updated.

We walked into the next store and I found a set as soon as we walked inside. It was a glossy black with silver accents. It was both modern and classic at the same time, but I was afraid to even look at the price tag. When I did, my heart sank. There was no way I could spend that much on the set when I was likely to accrue a large amount of debt from hospital bills.

"Can I help you?" The store attendant asked, walking up with a large baby bump. I dropped my hand from the crib rail and shook my head.

"Do you have anything similar to this with a little softer price tag?" I asked. She looked from me to Gemma and bit her bottom lip.

"I can give you my employee discount on it. It's thirty percent, if that helps." She offered, rubbing her belly. I did the math in my head and nodded slowly.

"I can do that. We'll pick it up at the end of the month if you'll have it in then." I said, trying to contain my excitement. The woman gave me a sweet smile and looked at my stomach.

"You're Happy's old lady, right? My husband's a Nomad." She explained. I relaxed, realizing she was practically extended family. "We just got an adorable mobile in, come look."

I covered my mouth with my hand as she turned on a mobile of tiny motorcycles. It was adorable. I handed over my debit card. Gemma and the woman laughed good heartedly as we walked over to the register. I walked out of the store with the mobile and a ticket to pick up the furniture in three weeks.

When Happy got home that night, I couldn't wait to show him the mobile. I wasn't expecting him to be bleeding. I rushed from the bed to the bathroom where he'd closed himself off. Once he had his shirt off, it looked even worse.

"Happy, what happened?" I asked, seeing the blood pouring down his arm from a wound in his bicep. He wasn't answering me, hyper focused on getting the first aid kit out. I grabbed his hand and he stopped, looking at me for the first time since walking inside.

"I'm going to let this kid down, Jaden." He wasn't acting like himself. He was always confident and strong. "They're going to grow up without a father when I'm locked up or taken out. What then, J? They grow up without a father and end up like me?"

"Happy, what are you talking about? You're not going anywhere! You've got me and the baby to come home to, to fight for. Where is this coming from?" I asked pouring alcohol over his wound. I could tell that a bullet had grazed him.

"Jaden, I'm standing in our bathroom with a bullet wound. Where do you think it's coming from? I'm still human, girl. I bleed just like everyone else." He obviously wasn't going to make things easy for me when it came to getting him out of this mood. I shook my head and untied my robe. He looked over at me with a hard swallow. Moving slowly, I took his hands and placed them on either side of my bump. "Jaden."

"Just shut up, Happy. Don't say anything." I said softly. He sighed and his shoulders dropped. When the baby kicked his hand, he looked up at me with tears in his eyes. "That's you and me, Happy. Our baby. You have us to fight for and we believe in you, even if you don't believe in yourself. You're a survivor Happy. The strongest man I know and the only man I would ever trust to protect our family."

"You're the best part of me, Jaden." Happy said, leaning down to kiss me. I met him in the middle and took his face in my hands as his rested on my bare stomach. "You're never going to be alone. I swear."

"I know. Let me fix you up, baby." I whispered into his ear. He nodded and bent down further to kiss my stomach gently. I ran my hand over the snake on his head. "I think it's a boy. Well, Gemma does and it kind of got in my head."

"A boy? What are we going to name him?" Happy asked as I cleaned him up. I smiled and wrapped gauze around his arm.

"I was thinking something tough like Axel." I said with a smirk. He nodded and I could see his wheels spinning as he thought it over.

"Not Happy?" He asked with a laugh. I chuckled and shook my head.

"Not unless you really want to. You're one of a kind, baby." I said, kissing his bandage. I smiled as he pulled me close and ran a hand between my legs.

"I like this." He tugged on the thin fabric of my boyshort panties that I'd worn for him. I had a matching bra at one point, but my boobs were out of control and the bra was uncomfortable to wear.

"I know. Come here, I want to show you something before you distract me." I took his wandering hand in mine and led him back into the bedroom. He pulled the box out of the paper bag and opened it slowly. "What do you think?"

"I think that you're perfect, Jaden Lowman. Axel will like this. Won't you baby boy? You like motorcycles like your dad?" The baby kicked and Happy smiled brightly. He nodded and brought his eyes up to mine. "Thank you for this, Jaden."

"I love you, Happy." I whispered, feeling a longing for him. He nodded and pulled me onto the bed with him. We took it slow, touching one another as much as possible. I kissed my name that was tattooed on the side of his neck as pleasure washed over me.

*******SOA*******SOA*******SOA********SOA*********

The nursery was finished and all we were needing now was our son. I'd been on modified bed rest for the past three months, so I was ready to not only evict him but meet him as well. Happy kept a prospect downstairs in the living room at all times when he wasn't home with me. It didn't matter if he was as close as the clubhouse.

"You're going to miss pregnancy sex. I don't know why but the hormones just make everything feel so much better." Barbie said, flipping through a magazine on the couch. I laughed and tried to reposition so my back stopped aching.

"Do you see how big I am? Trust me, I love sex just fine with Happy when I'm not the size of a Harley. He's just as eager as ever but I refuse to leave the lights on." I said, shaking my head, embarrassed to admit how insecure I felt. "When we met, I was a stripper. Now I'd bring the pole crashing down if I even leaned on it."

"You're wrong, Jaden. You're hot." Rat said, just as Happy opened the front door. Barbie and I saw his eyes flash with rage and knew the prospect was about to wish he'd never chimed in from the kitchen.

"The hell did you just say to my old lady, boy?" Happy didn't yell which made him that much more frightening.

"Happy, no I didn't mean it like that. They were talking about her being big and I just wanted her to feel better." I knew he was just digging a deeper hole but knew it would be disrespectful to step into the argument to help Rat.

"That's not your place, prospect. Get out of my house." He growled, grabbing the younger man by the back of the neck and shoving him towards the door. I dropped my eyes as soon as Rat made eye contact, but Happy caught it. "Out!"

"Happy." I said softly when the door slammed shut. Anya woke up with a loud scream and Barbie groaned. She hurried down the hall to settle her daughter back down. She and Juice had been staying in our guest room so I could have Barbie close before the baby came.

"Don't Happy, me, Jaden. That shit head needs to learn some respect before it earns him a shallow grave. He make any other comments like that?" He asked, lifting my chin up to look at him. I shook my head and kept solid eye contact.

"No, Happy. I think he may have just been trying to help. Everyone knows you're the only man for me." I said, tossing Millie's ball for her after she dropped it in my hand. Happy grunted before placing his hands on my stomach and pressing his lips to it.

"I don't make you feel beautiful, J? There's nothing I'd rather see than you carrying my son." He said softly. I leaned over and kissed his lips gently.

"You make me feel as beautiful as I can at nine months pregnant. I just want to have this baby so we can get married and I can get back on my feet." I said, rolling over to my side so I could look at him. He was kneeling on the floor beside the couch and tossing the ball for Millie every so often.

My phone started ringing and interrupted whatever Happy was about to say. He gritted his teeth and handed it over to me.

"Jaden! The cops are here asking for you or Barbie. Serenity got busted in the back providing some extra services and they've got her cuffed. What am I supposed to do?" Tiki continued on and on after Happy took the phone from me. I moved to sit up to relieve some pressure on my chest.

"You got Barbie's number?" Happy growled, supporting my with his free hand. "Good, then fucking call it."

"Happy! I have to get down there. They could shut us down. Do you think Esai knows about Serenity? What if he blames the club and the truce gets thrown out?" I knew my anxiety was running wild, but I couldn't get a handle on it.

"Jaden, breathe. I don't give a shit about any of that. You got it? I don't care if you even work or not. I care about you and the baby. Calm down." I was trying to slow my breathing as he spoke, but my heart was still racing. I felt a sharp pain in my stomach and clutched at it. "What is it?"

"Something's wrong. Happy, we've got to go. Please. I don't want to lose Axel." I was hysterical by that point and Millie was whimpering and nudging me with her nose. Happy pulled his phone out and called for Tara to meet us as Barbie rushed to get my baby bag and the keys to my SUV that had replaced my beloved car.

"I'll meet you there." Barbie said, pressing a kiss to my forehead that was damp with sweat. She had Anya on one hip and her diaper bag on the other.

The pain continued even after the doctors got me back in a room. Tara was speaking with them out in the hall as Happy stood by my side. He looked paler than normal, so much so that it made his tattoos stand out even more.

"Happy, marry me, please. Before the baby comes. I don't want him to be born before we're married. Please. I know it doesn't make sense." I was silenced with a deep kiss.

"If it helps you relax, I'd do anything, Jaden. If you're serious, I'll get somebody down here right now." He said, brushing hair out of my face. I nodded and gave him a shaky smile. "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."

"Smartass." I groaned as another pain struck me. He ducked out of the room and spoke to Tara briefly before disappearing. She slid into the room with a smile.

"You're leaving here with a baby and a husband, sweetie. Your stress caused your water to break and that pain you're feeling is normal. It's contractions, nothing to worry about, okay? Do you want an epidural?" She asked, smiling as Happy entered the room again. I shook my head and drew in a deep breath.

"No, I don't want any medicine unless I absolutely have to have it." I said, trying to keep the pain out of my voice. Happy sat down in the chair next to me and kissed the top of my hand.

"The priest is going to be here in ten minutes." Happy told me just before Barbie walked into the room with Anya and Juice. "Good, you two can be the witnesses."

"To what?" Barbie asked, trying to free her hair from Anya's grip. She watched as Happy pulled out a ring box from his kutte.

"You just carry those around with you?" I asked with a little laugh. He shook his head with an eyeroll.

"Just when I'm in Charming." He said opening it and handing me his black band and sliding my band on his pinky finger. I knew there was no way it would fit on my finger but it didn't matter, I could wear it around my neck with my engagement ring.

"Happy, Jaden, I'm Father Stevens. Congratulations on your son." The gray haired priest said as he shook our hands. I gave him a warm smile, hoping he wasn't about to ask when our last confessions were. "What do you say we get you two married before that little one throws a fit."

We said our vows and waited happily as the priest spoke about family and relying on each other. I slid Happy's ring on his finger and felt another contraction, this one harder than the last. Happy squeezed my hand and looked up at the priest.

"If you want to hurry and leave, that'd be great." He growled. I nodded and worked on breathing like I'd seen on movies. "I love you, Jaden."

"I love you, Happy." I whispered with a tear in my eye. The priest announced us as man and wife and we shared what felt like the first and best kiss all in one. Anya giggled and clapped her hands together as Juice whistled. "No offense, but can you all get out now? I really want this kid out."


	37. Chapter 37

"He's beautiful, mija." Mya said, holding her grandson in her arms for the first time. Happy watched on protectively from the foot of my bed. We had tried to talk her out of coming to the hospital, due to her weakened immune system, but she wasn't hearing it. She was just as excited to meet Axel as Happy and I.

"He looks like his ma." Happy said, rubbing his hand over the blanket on top of my thighs. I smiled and shook my head a little before looking back over at Axel and Mia. My labor had lasted an excruciating seventeen hours and it was down to the last minute if I was going to have him naturally or by C-section. Luckily, I was able to avoid the knife and deliver him without any further complications. Happy was by my side the entire time, even when I yelled at him or begged him to get some rest.

"How are you feeling?" Mya asked, placing Axel back in my arms. I looked down into his light brown eyes and tried to resist a yawn. "Sweetheart, you need to get some sleep. Why don't you have the nurse take him down to the nursery and get some sleep?"

"I want to go home." I said with a frown. My blood pressure was elevated, so they were refusing to discharge me until everything was back to normal. It didn't help matters that I could tell something was wrong with BJ's by the way Barbie's mood had changed since she and Juice went down there to deal with the police just after Happy and I were married.

"Ma, I'll have someone take you over to our house so you can get some rest. I need some coffee anyways." Happy said, motioning towards the door. Mya gave me a kiss on the cheek before agreeing and stepping out into the hallway. "I'll be right back."

"You have your daddy's lips, little boy." I whispered to Axel, rocking him gently in my arms. He opened his eyes briefly and looked up at me before going back to sleep against my chest.

"Mrs. Lowman, would you like for me to take Axel to the nursery?" My nurse asked, peeking her head into the room. I shook my head, not ready to spend any time away from him. There was a bassinet in the room for him in case I needed to sleep. She nodded her head and left just as Happy returned. They hadn't exactly gotten along during my labor, to no fault of her own.

"What are you staring at, Hap?" He was leaning against the wall, just staring at Axel and I. He smiled and shook his head like it was something unbelievable.

"My whole reason for living fits onto one hospital bed. I don't know what I'd do without you two." He said, sitting down on the bed. I gently slid over to give him some more room without waking our son up. Happy smiled and toed his boots off before lying down on top of the covers next to us.

"He has your lips and eyes." I said, looking over at Happy warmly. He smirked and smoothed my hair.

"He's got your nose though. Lucky little guy." He said, brushing his finger over it. Axel scrunched his nose up and turned his head away from Happy's finger. "I'll take him, J. Get some sleep."

"Wake me up if you need me." I said with a yawn. He shook his head and kissed my cheek after getting Axel situated in his arms. They looked larger and more colorful than normal with our child in them. I closed my eyes with a smile, more tired than I had realized.

I woke up with a start. Happy and Axel were gone and some man in a suit was standing by the closed door. I scrambled to sit up and get as far from him as possible. He looked over at me with dull gray eyes and held up his hands. The gesture did absolutely nothing to calm me. I hit the emergency button on the remote at least thirty times.

"I'm Agent Wrigley, Jaden. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you." He said, taking a step toward me. I reached behind me, wishing I was home where there was always a gun nearby.

"Where's my husband and son?" I asked, knowing better than to trust anyone with the title of agent. The older man sat down, uninvited, in the chair beside my bed. If I'd had any pants on, I would have probably bolted out of the bed and run for the door. The longer we were in the room alone together, the more plausible that option seemed.

"Your husband? Happy Lowman? I wasn't aware you were married. He stepped down the hall with my partner. The little one is in the nursery. Has your mother been by to see her grandson?" I bit the inside of my cheeks, wondering why they chose now of all times to come looking for Stella.

"No. We weren't close when I was growing up, but I'm sure you know that. As soon as she could, she ditched me. Again." It wasn't a complete lie, which made it easier to deliver. The agent stroked his goatee, a habit I despised.

"Well, that's strange. I thought you all were trying to build a relationship. In fact, we were under the impression that you had cut ties with the Sons of Anarchy, including your husband." Wrigley said, crossing his ankles and leaning back in the chair.

"Being pregnant brings families back together. Is this going somewhere? If you're looking for Stella, I don't know where she is. If you're looking for me to testify against my husband, then I am going to use my legal right and refuse to." I stood my ground, despite being in a hospital gown less than twenty-four hours after giving birth.

"I heard there was some trouble down at your, well, adult entertainment venue." Wrigley said with a smirk. I nodded with an incredulous laugh.

"Really? Your idea is to hang BJ's over my head in exchange for the club or my husband? Sorry, not going to happen. Shut it down, I'm honestly tired of dealing with moody strippers anyways." I wasn't lying. I had been thinking about stepping away from the club even before going into labor. I yanked the monitors off of my skin and waved goodbye to Wrigley as nurses rushed in.

It didn't take them long to figure out that the bells and whistles resulted from my actions, but it got the job done. Wrigley was gone. At least for now. Happy rushed into the room, Lohen a few steps behind him.

"Jaden, you alright?" He asked, searching my eyes as they reattached my monitors. I nodded and waited for the hospital staff to leave and the door to close Happy, Lohen and myself off from prying ears.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I want to know what my options are for pulling out of BJ's. I have to protect my family." I didn't look directly at Happy, knowing this should have been a conversation we had together. Lohen glanced over at him before looking back at me.

"You can sell your shares to the club or Meredith, but you'll have to pay taxes on the income from that sale." She said, lifting her shoulders. I nodded and looked up at Happy.

"I'll talk to Jax, see if he wants to buy you out." Happy said. He sounded annoyed but I couldn't pin point if it was because of me or what had happened with the agents. Lohen nodded.

"Neither of you are required to testify or give any statements regarding the other, okay? I would suggest that you don't answer any questions without me present, even what color the sky is." She said, scanning between the two of us. I nodded, wishing we didn't have to go through this when I'd just delivered our baby.

"We get it. Can you leave? I just had a baby and I want to be with my family." I said, hoping not to offend her. She smiled softly and turned to leave.

"Congratulations to both of you. He's beautiful." She said before disappearing into the hall. Happy sat down on the bed by my knees and rubbed his face with his hands.

"I'm sorry. I know we should have talked about BJ's. I'm just trying to protect our family." I said, wishing the nurse would hurry up and bring Axel back. Happy took a moment before looking me in the eye.

"That's my job, Jaden. I don't care about BJ's. Hell, I'd rather you get out of there so you can be with the kid anyways." He shook his head and ran a hand over my leg.

"When are we going to be free of these cops, Happy? I'm tired of thinking they're going to take you away from us." I admitted, sitting up and leaning against him. He kissed the top of my head and ran his hand to the back of my neck.

"I'm not going anywhere, J." He didn't sound completely convinced but I chose to believe him, knowing that I wouldn't get out of the hospital any time soon if my blood pressure didn't go down. "There's my boy."

I smiled and watched as Happy picked our son up out of the nurse's arms. He was crying, no doubt upset and confused as to what was going on. Within seconds of being in his father's arms, he quieted down. I could see how proud Happy was when he looked up at me.

"You did a great job, baby. You're already a good mama." He said, sitting down in the chair by the bed. I smiled and rolled over to my side to watch them. Happy was looking down at Axel's face with a smile. "I didn't think I could love someone like I love you, Jaden. Now I have a son."

"Remember that when he gets in trouble as a teenager." I said with a little laugh. Happy shook his head and gently kissed his forehead.

"Nah, he'll be a good kid." Happy said, looking up at me. I laughed and shook my head.

"Happy, his mother is a car boosting stripper and his father is an enforcer for a motorcycle club. He's got trouble in his blood." I said, knowing that if he was anything like us, we were in for a long road with Axel.

"That's because we're only children." Happy gave me a wink and I couldn't resist rolling my eyes.

"That one just came out, Hap. You don't get to even think about another baby until he's out of diapers." I said, my body aching at the thought of carrying another child. He chuckled and nodded while rocking Axel in his arms.

"I'm going to try and sleep a little more." I yawned and closed my eyes, hoping I'd wake up to Happy and Axel instead of another cop.

***Two Months Later***

"What do you mean a brothel?" I asked Tara, moving Axel over to my left hip. We were setting up for a birthday party for Abel at the clubhouse while talking about what the club was getting into.

"Apparently porn and strip clubs were just stepping stones to being partners in a sex for hire business. This is ridiculous." Tara set the punch bowl down hard enough to make a loud thud. Axel turned his head to see where the noise came from, a scowl on his little brow. I kissed his cheek, hoping he wouldn't start crying in protest to the bang.

"Happy mentioned going to Diosa but he hasn't said anything about getting into business with them. I''m guessing he knows that's going to go over like a lead balloon." I said, hoping he had a decent explanation for not telling me about it. Axel blew air through his lips and got saliva all over me. I dried my cheek with my shoulder and gave him a serious look.

"He seems like his father's son." Tara said with a laugh as Axel scowled. I smiled proudly and nodded.

"Yeah, they're both bossy. I need to feed him before he throws a fit." Tara nodded and I grabbed my nursing blanket out of his diaper bag before walking back towards Happy's old room. We had set it up with a rocking chair and a crib as I'd been spending more time there than before I sold my part of BJ's.

I was humming and rocking Axel as he nursed, turning what Tara had told me over in my mind. Happy was a great husband and an even better father, but I still didn't like the idea of professional whores being coworkers of his. I trusted him completely but I didn't want them around him, constantly trying to tempt him. What bothered me most was that he hadn't told me about it at all.

"You humming more Peal Jam to him, J?" I looked up to see Happy leaning in the doorway watching us. I nodded and gave him a tight smile.

"He has good taste in music. You got a few minutes?" I asked readjusting Axel. He nodded and closed the door. "Tara said the club is going in as partners with Diosa?"

"Yeah, we voted on it this morning." Happy sat down in the office chair across from me and folded his arms across his chest. "What about it?"

"You didn't think that was something you should tell me about? They're whores for hire, Happy." Axel turned his head away from my nipple, so I closed my shirt and started burping him.

"What does it matter, Jaden? I'm not hiring them. Self consciousness isn't your thing, girl. You trust me?" He asked, setting his jaw. I narrowed my eyes at him and scoffed.

"You know I trust you. I just don't appreciate bitches pushing themselves on you like Axel and I don't even exist." I saw a flash of anger in his eyes and wished I would have worded it differently. "I'm not even back to where I was before I got pregnant."

"You think I give a shit about that? You and that kid are the only people that even exist to me, Jaden. You're my wife, J. I know you've been around the club, seen how some of us act when our women ain't around. That's not me, girl. I'm going on forty, I've had plenty of time to fuck random bitches." He was standing up, his fists clenched.

"Yeah, I'm your wife." I said, turning from the crib I'd laid Axel in. Happy pushed his lips out and spun his toothpick around, watching me walk over to him. He looked down at me as I undid his belt. I shoved his pants down and stood back up, looking up into his dark brown eyes.

"That's right, girl." He growled before kissing me roughly. I gripped at the back of his neck as he palmed my breasts. "These gonna stay this size?"

"Maybe. I thought you were more of an ass and leg guy." I said, ridding myself of my jeans as he undid my shirt. He kissed the fleshy mound of cleavage before trailing his tongue up my neck to my ear.

"I am." He whispered before pushing me onto the bed. I smirked and gave him a "come hither" look. "You're perfect, Jaden."

"Then fuck me, killer." I gave him a wink. He nodded and entered me quickly, causing me to gasp. He had a cocky look on his face for a second before burying his face in my neck and sucking on the soft skin. "God, Happy."

He gave me several orgasms before finding his own and rolling off me, sweaty and tired. I smiled and rolled over to my side, tracing my finger up from his lower abs to my name on his neck.

"You sure you just had a kid? Thought bitches got looser after that." He said, laughing when I slapped his chest. "What? That was a compliment."

"Watch it, Killer." My threat was empty and light hearted. I kissed his chest before sitting up and starting to get dressed. "I've got to help Tara finish setting up for the party."

"Ok. I've got the kid." Happy said, pulling his jeans on before lying back down. I nodded and slipped out of the room, thankful for the little break. I headed back into the main room, buttoning my shirt as I went.

"I take it you and Happy talked about Diosa." Tara said with a little laugh. I shrugged.

"Most our talks end with sex. It's pretty great." I said, climbing in a chair to hang a banner. Tara gave directions to make sure it was level before I climbed back down. "How are you and Jax?"

"We're good. It's gotten a lot better recently." Tara said with a genuine smile. I was relieved, considering the argument I'd overheard one night. Barbie walked in with Anya attempting to walk beside her. I laughed and clapped, cheering my god-daughter on.

"That banner is adorable." Barbie said, putting her bag down next to mine on the couch. I nodded and picked Anya up, earning a slobbery kiss. I set her back down and handed her a cookie, pressing my finger to my lips. She mimicked me and then proceeded to hold it up and say "mama". All three of us started laughing.

"Snitch." Happy said, ruffling Anya's hair as she ate the cookie. "Axel's asleep. I've got to help Jax with something." He handed me the baby monitor and kissed my cheek before heading out of the clubhouse. I waited to hear his bike start up. When it didn't, I assumed whatever they were doing was taking place in the garage.

"Can I just tell you how hot your husband is?" Barbie asked, eating a carrot off the vegetable tray. I raised my brow at her and she shrugged. "What? He's all bad ass like the rest of them but he's like, Daddy of the Year. I wish Juice helped me with Anya that much"

"He's smitten with being a father." Tara agreed with a nod. I laughed and set the monitor on the table.

"Just don't let him hear either one of you saying that. He doesn't want people to think he's gone soft." I said, tying a string to a blue balloon. Barbie snorted and shook her head.

"From what Juice told me about this job a couple weeks ago, I don't think he has anything to worry about." Barbie said with a laugh. I knew exactly what job she was talking about. He'd come home with blood stained jeans and a dead look in his eyes. He told me about almost every gruesome detail before taking a shower and cuddling with Axel. He ended up sleeping in the rocking chair in the nursery that night, just to be closer to our son. Sure, he still got the job done but I could tell it effected him more than it used to.

"Yeah." I said simply, going back to work. I focused on the sound of Axel's breathing through the monitor as Barbie and Tara talked about Gemma and Diosa's owner Nero spending time together. I didn't honestly care about the gossip.

The party went off without a problem, besides Gemma and Tara squaring off about baby sitting arrangements. Jax, Chibs and Happy showed off what they'd been working on in the garage, a bicycle that looked just like a motorcycle, plus training wheels. Happy joined me after that, taking turns holding Axel.

"Don't worry buddy, we'll get you on a motorcycle soon enough." Happy said, kissing Axel's cheek. I laughed and rolled my eyes, knowing that it was only a matter of time. Gemma looked across the room at us and gave me a smile, nodding an approval. I narrowed my eyes a little, wondering what could be going through her mind before finally deciding it was better not to know.

 **Are you all still interested? Anything you'd like to see happen or characters you'd like to see have interactions with? BTW, check out Little Bird by Soadarlin, she's a good friend that's just starting out here on FF. Show her some love :) As always, comments PLEASE**

 **ALSO! Check out Becoming a Son by David Labrava if you haven't already. It's his new book, available on Amazon :)**


	38. Chapter 38

"Jaden, do you have a minute?" Gemma stopped me as I walked inside the clubhouse. I paused and looked at her, not exactly in the mood to be bothered. Axel had kept me up all night with his fussing and crying. The only reason I could find was Happy being gone for the past three days. Tara was supposed to be meeting me to baby sit so I could have some time to run errands.

"Yeah, what do you need?" I asked, placing the car seat down as gently as possible. Axel could sleep through almost any sound but movement woke him easily.

"Well, I was really hoping you could talk to Tara for me. I feel like she's trying to keep those babies from me. You're a good ol' lady, Jaden. I've seen you with Happy. Tara just needs to be reminded what she is and she'd take it better if it came from you." Gemma said, smiling down at Axel. I closed my eyes to hide them rolling at the favor she'd asked from me.

"What she is, is a mother that's worried about her family. Have you considered the fact that you may be pushing them away with smoking weed and drinking all the time? Maybe you're the one who needs to remember what you are. You're a grandmother, Gemma, not some sweet butt." I felt the sting of her palm smacking me before I even realized what was happening.

"Gemma!" Chibs rushed inside as I dabbed my lip with the back of my hand, pulling it away to see blood. Axel was whimpering and I knew he was about to throw a fit. "Jaden, ya okay?"

"I'm, I'm sorry." Gemma stammered, backing away from me. I could smell the alcohol on her breath before she disappeared. Chibs grabbed a napkin for me as I tried to rock Axel back to sleep in my arms. I pressed the napkin to my lip and shook my head.

"I can't believe she just hit me." I was both pissed and hurt but above all, I was worried that Axel had seen it. I knew he was just going on three months, but I knew how impressionable children were.

"Aye, ya got a nice cut there." Chibs said, looking at my lip as I poked it out and tried to get a look. I sighed, knowing Happy would be livid to come home and find out that Gemma had hit me.

"It fucking hurts." I hissed, running my tongue over it and tasting the metallic taste of blood. He nodded and motioned to take Axel. Ever since we'd come home from the hospital, Chibs had wanted to hold him every time they saw one another.

"You're alright, my boy. Uncle Chibs is here." I smirked at the way that Axel reached out for his beard. "Why don't ya go ahead, Jaden? I'll make sure tha Axel gets ta Tara."

"You really don't mind? He can be fussy when Happy isn't around." I said, pulling the diaper bag off my shoulder. Chibs nodded and made a silly face at him.

"Goooo, Jaden. He's not tha first babe I've held." Chibs said, motioning towards the door. I laughed and gave him a smile before heading out of the clubhouse. "Say bye bye to Mommy. She'll be back."

I felt a little nervous as I got in my car. It was the first time that'd I'd ever left Axel with anyone besides Happy or Tara. Chibs was family though. I knew he had a daughter in Ireland, so he had to have at least some clue on how to take care of a baby.

My first stop was the grocery store. All we had at home was beer for Happy and some white rice and apples. It looked like a college kid's apartment instead of a couple with a baby. I loaded the cart with tofu, eggs, fresh vegetables and fruit before heading to the register.

"$98.07." The cashier said lazily. I handed over my bank card and started putting the bags back in the cart to push out to my car. "Card's declined."

"Run it again, it's fine." I said, already annoyed with her less than friendly demeanor. She typed in the numbers on the card and I heard the register beep again.

"Declined. Cash or another card, we don't take checks." She looked at the tattoo on my wrist and made a face. I clenched my teeth together, trying to hold back all the vile things I wanted to say to her. I pulled out a $100 bill and handed it over to her. She took out a counterfeit pen and marked it twice on each side.

"Seriously?" I growled, sick of the cashier's attitude. She pursed her lips and finally handed over my change. I left the store, proud of myself for not causing a scene. After loading the groceries in the back of my SUV and headed over to the bank, hoping the line was short enough that I wouldn't have to go home and then come back.

"Hi, I tried to use my bank card and it was declined. I know there's money in my account. Can you check and see what's going on?" I asked the young girl behind the counter. She nodded and smiled, taking my card as I slid it under the glass window. After a few mouse clicks, she slid the card back to me.

"I'm showing that your account is frozen." She said, obviously nervous to give me that news. I blinked a couple times and tapped the card on the counter. "Let me get you my manager, he can see what's going on."

"Yeah, thanks doll." I knew it wasn't her fault, she was just the messenger. I knew we had cash in the safe, but I still wanted to know what was going on. The manager, a pompous looking man with a comb over walked over and shook my hand.

"Mrs. Lowman, would you mind stepping in my office?" He motioned down the hall and I cursed under my breath, knowing I still had perishables in the car. I nodded and followed him into the office. "Take a seat."

"No, I'd rather not. I have groceries in the car." I stood near the door as he sat down behind a large, mahogany desk. There was no doubt he knew who I was, or at least who Happy was. He seemed nervous and kept looking at my bag. I wasn't stupid. I left my gun in the car anytime I went in the bank.

"Your accounts have been frozen by the Sheriff's Department. Naturally, they don't give us a specific reason, but that's the code that is entered on your account." He said, motioning towards a screen that I couldn't see. I rolled my eyes and looked at the ceiling.

"You're fucking kidding me. I have a baby and a mortgage. How can they just freeze my account? I haven't even done anything." I couldn't keep the anger out of my voice and I saw him move a little further away from me.

"Now, I'm not saying this is what happened, but normally it's one of two things. Either you are subject of a criminal investigation or you are facing court proceedings. I'm guessing it's the first if you aren't aware of anything. If the prosecutor finds that you may have financially benefitted from a crime, they can freeze your accounts." He spoke quickly, as if the information was a matter of life and death. I shook my head and stormed out of the office.

After putting the groceries away, I walked into our closet to check the safe. Happy had installed it in the floor, underneath the carpet, so no one could find it. I scanned my finger print and put in Axel's birthday. Seeing the money, documents and gun in the safe made me feel a little better, but not much.

There was no question who was behind this. Just when I thought we were clear of them and settling in to parenthood, there they were. I changed out of my shorts and t-shirt and into a black button down and dark gray dress pants, thinking looking professional may give me some type of edge with the cops. I knew Happy was going to be pissed, especially considering he was out of town.

"Jaden Lowman." I announced to the desk clerk. She looked up from her computer and pointed towards a few plastic chairs on the opposite wall. I stood in front of her desk, ignoring her offer.

"Mrs. Lowman, what can we do for you?" It was the same ass-hat that had showed up at the hospital. I took out my bank card and tossed it onto his desk.

"You got my attention. What now?" I said, folding my arms across my chest. He glanced at my card and then leaned back in his chair. "I'm not playing games with you. I have to pick my son up later."

"How is your son? Is he doing well? Taken care of?" I scowled at him, feeling my cheeks and ears warming with anger.

"What are you getting at?" I said, trying to keep my temper under control. He smirked and twisted the top on his pen.

"Jaden, it's a known fact that your husband is part of a criminal organization. You yourself have been suspect in auto thefts in the past and most recently you were involved in a strip club that gave their customers more than just a good show. Now, if CPS were to get involved, even for the tiniest bump or bruise, what do you think they would decide about the little one's well being?" He smirked when I jumped out of my seat.

"You have no right to threaten my family. If you've got all these charges then why am I not in a 10 by 8 right now? You don't have shit." I snapped. He opened a drawer and tossed a folder on the desk. It was thick, thicker than I was comfortable with.

"We have plenty, Jaden. The question is, will your son grow up without both of his parents or just his father?" I shook my head, turning away from the desk. I felt like choking the life right out of him. He was threatening my family, my whole reason for living.

"My husband isn't going back to jail." I said, fighting back my frustrated tears. I looked up at the light above me and took a deep breath. "If you're out for blood than you're only getting mine. You're hungry, I get it. You probably want to make a big bust and get a big raise."

"This isn't about me, Mrs. Lowman. This is about what's right and wrong." He said, tossing the folder back in his drawer. I swallowed and sat back down across from him.

"What do you want?" I asked, feeling like I was backed into a corner. He leaned forward, propping his elbows on his desk.

"What are you willing to give me? What is your family worth to you?" I blinked, hoping that I was hearing him wrong. He lifted his brow at me and his eyes looked me over from top to bottom. I swallowed hard.

"I'm not serving more than a year and you're dropping whatever you had against my husband and the club. I want it in writing and signed off on by the DA." I felt sick to my stomach, hating that I was considering this.

"In exchange for?" He smirked and I laughed, shaking my head. He raised his brow even higher.

"You think I'm that stupid? Get it written up." I knew there was a strong chance that this was a trap, that he was filming me or at least getting audio recording of our conversation. He nodded and leaned back in his chair.

"I'll be in touch, Jaden." He smirked and motioned towards the door. I already felt filthy and I hadn't even done anything, yet. As I got into my SUV, I started feeling sick and it was hard to breathe. I knew I was having a panic attack.

My phone vibrated, just as I was starting to get tunnel vision. It was Happy. Of course it was Happy. I answered the phone and tried to sound normal.

"J, what's wrong?" All I had said was hello and he already knew something was up. I felt the warm tears running down my face and I bit my lip. "Where are you?"

"I'm headed to go pick up Axel." I choked out, wanting nothing more than to hold my son. I heard a motorcycle starting in the background.

"I'll be home soon, Jaden. Whatever is wrong, just try to breathe, alright? We'll figure it out tonight." Happy said, having no clue what was going on. I nodded, throwing the car into reverse. I tossed the phone into the passenger seat.

Tara looked at me curiously as I rushed to get Axel. I barely spoke to her, giving her only a quick thank you before rushing back out to the car. Axel must have picked up on my stress, because he started crying almost instantly. I could tell it was a real cry. I was crying to.

"Jaden?" I heard Happy's voice down stairs and continued to rock Axel. He had settled down and was sleeping peacefully in my arms. I had moved past my tears and felt numb, surrendering to my fate. Happy walked into the room and I couldn't look at him. "J, talk to me."

"I'm fine, Happy. There was a problem with the bank card. It should be fixed soon." I was looking down at Axel, reminding myself of what mattered.

"He's out, baby girl. Come on." He took my hand and pulled me out of the chair. I swallowed hard and nodded. I gently kissed Axel's forehead before setting him down in his crib. Happy pulled me to him, kissing me deeply. I found the strength to resist crying, somehow.

"I just missed you." I said, trying to explain my mood to Happy without giving anything away. He smoothed my hair and kissed me again.

"I missed you to, girl. Something else is bothering you though." He sat down on the bed and pulled me onto his lap. I bit my bottom lip and looked away from him. "Don't start this shit, Jaden. We don't do this bullshit. We don't keep stuff from each other."

"We do when it keeps the other one safe." I said, avoiding his eyes as he turned my chin towards him. I saw his jaw clinch. He knew I was right. "Trust me, Happy. I'm choosing the lesser of evils."

"It ain't about trust, J." Happy kissed me and I could almost feel his anger flowing though his lips. "We've got a kid, Jaden."

"You think I don't know that? Happy, I'm protecting both of you." I felt my chest tightening.

"That ain't your choice, girl." Happy said, standing up. I took his seat on the bed and watched him pace the room. Finally, he stopped and looked right at me. It was the first time I'd made eye contact with him since he got home. "What were you doing at the police station, J?"

"You had me followed? Happy, are you fucking kidding me?" I suddenly felt my sadness switch to anger.

"Of course I did, Jaden. I wasn't here." Happy growled, a deep scowl on his face. I scoffed and tossed my hands up.

"Then you tell me, Happy. What do you think I was doing? You think I'm some rat?" I was yelling and standing up before I even realized it.

"You aren't a rat, Jaden. You think you're some fucking martyr. Just fucking tell me." He was yelling to. I turned away from him again. He yanked me back around, holding my jaw so I couldn't look away.

"It was you and the club or me, Happy. What did you want me to do? I told you, I can't see you go away." My tears started flowing down my cheeks as he shoved me away. I bit my bottom lip and walked towards him. "Happy."

"What, Jaden? You're the mother of my child. You're my fucking wife. You think I'm okay with you sacrificing everything for me and the club? Damnit, Jaden." He grabbed hold of his dresser and pulled it, yanking it down to the ground. I flinched and covered my mouth.

"Happy." I croaked. He turned around and looked at me, shaking his head.

"Don't, Jaden. I've never hurt you and I never will, but I'll be damned if I don't want to right now. I'm sleeping in the guest room." He stormed out of the bedroom. I collapsed onto my knees in tears. I didn't hear him come back to the room over my sobs. "Damnit, J."

He pulled me into his arms, sitting on the floor with me as I cried. He held me like I was sand slipping through his fingers. I buried my face in the crook of his neck, taking in the smell of leather and cigarettes.

"What'd you do, baby?" He asked in a hushed tone, stroking my back. I closed my eyes, knowing I couldn't tell him everything. I knew that he'd never let me pay that price.

"Traded you and the club for me. It'll be less than a year." I said, my lip trembling. He pressed his lips to the top of my head and I felt him shaking his.

"No way they would have done a straight trade, J. There's something you ain't telling me." Happy's tone was even, but I knew he was still angry with me. To be honest, I wasn't even sure what the cost was going to be. I had a bad idea, but I wasn't ready to accept it yet.

Heavy chapter, I know. It doesn't get much brighter for a couple more chapters, at least how I have it laid out now.


	39. Chapter 39

I felt Happy's eyes on me from across the clubhouse. I was rocking Axel and trying to get him to settle down. There was little doubt that he was picking up on the tension between his father and I. Happy didn't like the idea of me working with the Feds, especially since I was doing so to protect both he and the club. I was spending as much time as possible with Axel, knowing there was a good chance that I'd be missing a year of his life.

"Everything okay between you two? Never seen this much distance between ya for this long." Chibs said, leaning against the bar. I nodded, not making eye contact with him. He wiggled Axel's foot and leaned a little closer to me. "Whatever it is, ya need to talk to him. He's been a right ass for the past few days."

"Yeah, I've noticed." I said, looking into Chibs' light blue eyes. I nodded with a frown. "Do you mind holding him?"

"Not at all. Gotta show him a thing or two about picking up ladies." I paused and looked back at him. "Aye, I'm kidding. Go talk to your man."

"Chibs ain't exactly a babysitter." Happy said as I approached him. I nodded and lifted my shoulder.

"He's one of his many uncles, it's okay. Are you still mad at me?" He nodded and I took a deep breath. "You understand I'm doing this for us, right?"

"It don't matter why you're doing it, Jaden. I'm the one that's supposed to take care of the two of you. It ain't your place." I rolled my eyes and Happy grabbed my elbow.

"My place, Happy? This relationship has never been about gender roles. I can protect us just as well as you can." I was frustrated and trying to keep my voice down was proving challenging. "The way I see it, we have two choices. First, we can fight until they take me away or second we can make the most of what time we have and plan on how to cope."

"How to cope? Jaden, you are the mother of my child, my wife and my old lady. What kind of coping do you think there's going to be? Damnit, Jaden. I don't want you to go inside. Being locked up changes you, no matter why you go in there." Happy was getting louder and I heard Axel start to whimper. I hung my head and Happy placed his hand on the side of my neck. "I don't want you to go."

"I know. It's me for a year or you for who knows how long. Please, Hap." I tried not to cry, thinking about Axel's first birthday and the milestones I would miss. Happy lifted my chin with his thumb and kissed me gently. I felt my bottom lip quiver and he kissed me harder.

"If this is what you want, then we'll make it work, Jaden. Whatever it takes, alright?" Happy said softly. I swallowed hard and nodded. "Come on, let's go get the kid and go to the park or something."

"Okay." I managed to whisper. He put his hand on my lower back and guided me towards Chibs and Axel. Happy took Axel from his brother before giving him a half hug.

"I'll drive, J." Happy said, opening the back of the SUV so that Millie could jump up to her blanket in the back. It was really more like stepping up into the back now that she was almost full grown. I took Axel and fastened him into his car seat.

We spent the day at the park walking, talking and showing Axel his first worm. He was all boy, trying his best to put the worm in his mouth and then in his ear. Happy seemed proud of his son, smiling as he crouched down next to him. I was just enjoying the time away, just the three of us.

After dropping Happy off to get his bike, we headed home for the night. Axel was sleeping soundly in his car seat with Millie hanging her head over the seat watching him closely. I felt my phone vibrating between my thighs and answered it quickly.

"Mrs. Lowman, you remember our discussion?" I grimaced at the idea and looked in the rearview to see Happy following me closely.

"I do. What about it?" I refused to incriminate myself by saying the wrong thing on the phone. He could easily be setting me up.

"I've got everything written up and signed off on. Just a matter of fulfilling our agreement." I turned onto our road and nodded.

"Let me know where to meet you. I need until tomorrow afternoon." I said, pulling into the driveway. The line went dead and I felt sick to my stomach. Happy shut off his bike as I fumbled with Axel's car seat. "We need to talk."

We got Axel settled down for the night and carried the baby monitor with us to the living room. Happy grabbed us both a beer. We stayed up until late in the night, talking strategy and back up planes. Once we finally went to bed, I felt both nervous and calm, exhausted and energized.

I walked into the club, my heart in the bottom of my stomach. He probably thought it was funny, meeting here in the club that I used to own and that he was hanging over my head. I woke up with a bad feeling about the plan I'd gone to sleep happy with. There was too much that could go wrong, too many moving pieces.

"Jaden, glad you could make it. I was starting to think you were backing out of our agreement." He was in the room that was decorated with deep reds and black. I bit my lip and wanted to cry.

"It's for my family." I said, pulling my jacket around me tight. He nodded and handed a blue folder over to me. I flipped through the pages, making sure everything we'd discussed was in writing. I nodded and slid the folder into my bag. "What now?"

"Now it's your turn. Why don't you come over here? Get comfortable?" He said, sitting down on the sofa. My legs felt like they were cemented into place. My lip started trembling, but I tried to hide it. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Why are you doing this?" I asked, barely able to keep my voice from cracking. He laughed and stood up quickly, grabbing the front of my jacket and pulling me to him quickly. He leaned in and breathed in deeply.

"What can I say? I have a thing for bad girls. Dropping the case against the club doesn't mean it's gone forever, Jaden. If it gets me a good fuck with an ex-stripper and a biker's wife, then I'm more than happy to make it go away for a little while." As soon as those words fell from his lips, the door behind me burst open and four police officers charged in. I backed away from the shell-shocked creep and stood still as cuffs were slapped onto my wrists.

"You did good, Jaden. We'll try to get you in front of a judge this week." Lohen said as I was led past her. I nodded and kept my mouth shut. So far, the plan was working well, hopefully I wouldn't be serving any time after seeing the judge. I reminded myself to thank Barbie for installing surveillance in the private rooms.

Court didn't go the way we'd planned. I knew it wouldn't though. I'd had a bad feeling from the start. The judge honored my deal to serve a year and tacked on two additional years of probation. As far as the case against the club went, everything was found to be inadmissible because of what investigator creep did. It was a great victory, but I was still being taken away from my family, but at least I had one to come back to.

"Your honor, may I have a minute with my family?" I asked, smoothing my knee length skirt as I stood up. She nodded and motioned towards her chambers. The bailiff led me into the room with Happy and Axel following behind me. I waited until we were alone to cry.

"You're going to be okay, J. We've got protection set up for you inside and we'll come visit every week." Happy said, handing Axel over to me. Axel latched onto my finger and giggled. I wished I could be as innocent as he was.

"The prison clause goes both ways, Happy. Just, just so you know. I won't hold it against you." I said, not looking up from Axel's perfect little face. I heard Happy sigh before he pulled me into his arms.

"It's not going to happen, Jaden. You're it." Happy said, smoothing my hair and kissing me. I kissed him back with longing. I knew it would be the last moment of privacy we had for the next year. I pulled myself together when the chamber doors opened again. "I love you, Jaden Lowman."

"I love you. Take care of yourself. He's going to need you." I said, refusing to show any weakness as I was pulled away. Happy nodded and watched me as I was led away. I knew I'd done the right thing for the club and my family, but that didn't make it easy. The right thing was never easy, if it was, everyone would do it.

This is the end of Without You Part 1. I'm going to continue on this same story, but it will have a time jump and will technically be Part 2. I thank you all for your continued support and hope that you stay tuned for the next installments. It may be a couple weeks before the next chapter, but it will come, I promise.


	40. Update

After much consideration, there will not be a part two to this story. I appreciate all of your support!


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